Shadowplay
by Marari
Summary: Sequel to 'Understanding your Allegiance'. Hermione is now a Shadow working to protect the integrity of the Wizarding World, despite opposition from all of her now exfriends. With her new allegiance and new allies, how will the war progress? HGSS
1. New Term

Disclaimer – I own nothing, the Harry Potter world belongs to J.K Rowling, I'm just fiddling with it.

Author note – I recommend you read the first part to this story, 'Understanding your Allegiance', as it won't make much sense without knowing the backstory contained in the prequel!

Hermione sat alone on the Hogwarts train, absently staring at the countryside whiz past, slowly changing as the plants in different areas adapted to their surroundings. She tried humming a tune to stem the silence, but it didn't work and she fell quiet again. She was on the train heading towards London, already being at school at the beginning of term. She wouldn't have bothered coming, but she had to perform her head girl duties on the return journey, just in case the first years were still unable to get off a train properly.

When the landscape became obviously urban, Hermione snapped out of her reverie and put on her school robes. She gave her head girl badge one last polish, and smiled proudly at the Slytherin emblem on the front of her robes. It had been almost laughably simple getting resorted into Slytherin, but everyone didn't know that. As the train pulled into the platform at Kings Cross she checked her reflection in the window glass before emerging from the carriage into the throng of students milling around. She revelled in the shocked gasps that came from her change in uniform, but outwardly paid them no heed. She ignored most people, but helped any first years who seemed to be struggling with their over-sized trunks, this drew a few disbelieving looks, but she carried on regardless. There was no reason why a Slytherin shouldn't help those in need, inter-house stereotypes aside.

She was just finishing helping a small shy Hufflepuff house her cat safely in the overhead storage racks when Pansy popped her head round the door.

"Get out here quick Herms, opportunity to put Ron's nose out of joint."

Hermione followed her quickly out into the corridor, where Draco and Blaise were also both standing waiting for her. Sure enough just a little way up the corridor Ron stood muttering darkly to Neville and Ginny. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Who does he think he is, the leader of the second golden trio?" Hermione scoffed.

"Ssh." Whispered Pansy. Then in a much louder voice. "Hermione! It's great to see you, wasn't New Years such a laugh!"

"It was great Pansy, was a shame I couldn't have stayed longer, but Snape was adamant I had to return to…that unfortunate place."

"We're just going to go find some seats." Said Draco. "Would you care to join us, now you're one of us as it were."

"Certainly." Replied Hermione politely. She linked arms with Pansy and the two of them followed the boys down the train corridor past Ron and the others. As they swept past, Hermione heard Ginny complaining.

"If only Harry was here, he'd..."

"Miss Weasley." Interrupted Hermione. "10 points from Gryffindor."

"What the hell for?" Cried Ginny, clearly incensed.

"For missing the boy wonder too loudly in the corridor." Hermione made a saddened face. "The younger years might hear you, and find themselves inconsolable at remembering how he isn't attending Hogwarts this year. I simply must nip such a situation in the bud, and ensure it won't happen again by taking points."

Ginny was red in the face, opening and shutting her mouth in fury, but was unable to make any kind of comeback. Hermione smirked and whisked past them, heading into the carriage where Draco, Blaise and Pansy were wetting themselves laughing.

The rest of the journey back to Hogwarts was fairly routine. Hermione got many dirty looks, not just from Gryffindors but from Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs as well. The Slytherins however welcomed her with open arms, even those who believed the pureblood rubbish after Draco had had a few well chosen words with them, mainly outlining that having Hermione meant two Slytherin heads of year, and that would be a very good thing. Draco's work last term garnering support for her had paid off, her run ins with Harry and the other Gryffindors meant the Slytherins saw her as a kindred spirit, not just an honorary Slytherin. When she entered the Main Hall and took her place at the Slytherin table, there was a muffled cheer that just drowned out the angry whispers from the rest of the hall. Pleases with her acceptance, Hermione grinned at her new circle of friends. Draco was sat opposite her, with Pansy next to him. Blaise was on her left opposite Pansy.

Attention was moved from her to the teacher's table as Professor Dumbledore stood and spread his arms in a gesture of greeting.

"Welcome one and all to a new term at Hogwarts. I hope you are all rested from the holidays and ready to pick up the pace once more in the New Year. Where the outside world is growing dark, Hogwarts will remain a beacon of light and hope for those who send their children here. We will keep you safe as those who threaten to throw our world into chaos remain hidden, working against the principles of equality and freedom from oppression. The prejudices of past generations, especially of your parents time, are ripping our community, our very world, apart. Many of your own families have suffered in the past, and now current, conflict, and must see the need for co-operation. It's the lack of unity between the houses at our fair school that have led to such horrors when students leave here…"

Hermione was only half listening to Dumbledore's now predictable speech about inter-house unity. Instead she was watching people whisper, clearly ignoring him themselves. She saw the looks sent her way, the poorly hidden points in her direction. Suddenly she stood and cleared her throat loudly, breaking Dumbledore off mid-speech. She gave him her best apologetic look and began to speak.

"Fellow students." She said clearly, her voice carrying easily throughout the packed hall. "As a victim myself of a relentless bullying campaign led by a single house, many of you may see my support for inter-house unity as unexpected. Why would I, a Slytherin hated by her ex-Gryffindor friends, advocate friendly relations between the houses? Simple. Inter-house unity will make my life a whole hell of a lot easier. So you will all cease your disrespectful mutterings towards me, I am head girl after all, and you will pay full attention to the Headmaster."

She smirked at the astounded faces of those around her, and bowed in Dumbledore's direction. "Over to you Big D." She said sincerely, and sat back down.

The hall remained silent, unsure how to react to her interruption to the headmaster's speech, many Slytherins gamely fighting back smiles at her calling Dumbledore 'big D'. Hermione glanced up at Severus and saw he was smirking, a glint in his usually unreadable eyes. Dumbledore attempted to regain control, and continued to speak.

"Yes thank you Miss Granger. As I was saying, the lack of unity between houses here translates itself to the wide world in adulthood, we must join together here in harmony now to negate any animosity in the future. The fight against prejudice will begin here…"

"Big D?" Whispered Pansy incredulously. "What the hell was that about Herms?"

Hermione grinned and whispered back. "I thought I'd be a more unorthodox head girl this term."

Draco chuckled and shook his head. "Oh Merlin."

Hermione smirked and looked up at the teacher's table again. Severus wasn't smiling anymore, but the light in his eyes was still there as he watched Dumbledore speak. He must have felt her watching, because he turned to look at her. Hermione felt the familiar roll of desire as their eyes locked together, and his eyes darkened, as they were wont to do. But something was off. As soon as the connection was made he turned his head, the light in his eyes extinguished. His face was hard, the sharp lines of his eyes rigid. Hermione knew he couldn't show any form of affection outwardly in public, but she had become accustomed to his face softening slightly when he looked at her. She lowered her gaze and rested her head in one hand, staring lazily up at Dumbledore who was still speaking.

She tuned him out and mused over her relationship with Severus. He had told her he wasn't prepared to break the non-fraternisation rules between students and teachers, and had made her leave his rooms after their visit to Riddle when it became too heated, and he realised he couldn't continue without compromising his morals further. She frowned in frustration. She knew he wanted her, and she wanted him. To her mind there were no issues. She was of age even by muggles standards, and she was more of a match for him intellectually, they challenged each other. She had never been able to talk to any of her friends at the same level as she could with him, Draco and the other Slytherins were better than her old friends, but what they shared was different.

"Ok, what's wrong with you?" Asked Draco. "You're sitting there clearly brooding over something when this is a moment of triumph for you."

Hermione weighed up her options as he continued to speak. "You're not regretting sitting on this side of the hall are you? You can't be missing the Gryffindors."

"No that's certainly not it!" She put in quickly. She decided that Draco knew her and Severus were closer than was usual, and he wouldn't use the information against her anyway. "It's Severus. We were getting on really well last night, I'd decided to join our mutual organisation." She raised her eyebrows meaningfully and he nodded that he understood, breaking out in a wide grin.

"Well we were just, you know…when he freaked out on me. He's known the rules about students and teachers before, had it pointed out to him by your dad even, but he never reacted like that before. I mean he had his doubts, but I seemed to allay them before when he voiced them. Now…I don't know. Its like he's shutting back down again. He caught my eye just now, and wouldn't hold it."

"That is typical of Slytherin males." Hermione looked past Draco at Pansy.

"Hey!"

"Its true. If you get even the slightest whiff of real emotion you back off and shut down."

Hermione nodded, amused. "Go on."

"Its simple really, and quite sad. Slytherin men are too used to having to hide their emotions, be they negative or positive ones, hatred or love. That's historical fact that goes with our other characteristic of being downright sneaky and manipulative. But the last few generations in particular have had a more extreme case of it. First there was the war with Grindlewald, that's our Grandfathers, then Voldemort, that's Professor Snape's generation. They've learned to suppress everything, and have passed that down. Our generation is the third to react this way. We Slytherin women have had to learn ways to get past it."

"That would explain his behaviour, how do I get past it?"

Draco held up his hand. "Hold up, you never mentioned any of this to me."

"And you can't just accuse us of being emotionally retarded like that!" Butted in Blaise.

Pansy rolled her eyes and ignored them both. "You have to get them to react. You're already under his skin and affecting him, and that's why he's making the effort to shut you out. All this business about you being a student is just a convenient excuse. If you weren't his student it would be something else. You just have to stop him freezing you out. Make it impossible for him to ignore you."

"Is that what you did to me Pansy?" Asked Draco.

"Yes." She replied succinctly.

"Well how can I do that, make it impossible for him to ignore me. Follow him around hanging off his cloak?"

"Of course not. And it's different for everyone obviously. What do you think he'd react best to?"

Hermione thought about it as she ate. "I'm not entirely sure. Aggravating him would probably push him to acknowledge me, but do I really want to anger him?"

"Yes!" Cried Pansy. "That's perfect. You'll have to do it right though, get him angry in a certain way, not so that he comes to hate you or anything!"

"Maybe just irritate him loads, pranks like the Weasley twins." Hermione was warming now to the idea. "Will you guys help me? It'll be fun."

They all nodded in agreement. "We'll meet in the Slytherin Common Room later." Said Draco. "There's bound to be devices to listen in on us in our private common room now we're both Slytherin."

They stopped their quiet discussion as Dumbledore finished speaking. He announced the feast begun and the tables groaned under the sudden weight of piles of dishes filled with food, and the students tucked in. Hermione helped herself to some roast beef and happily poured gravy over her potatoes. She now had a plan, no longer was she floundering around through an emotional battlefield. Suddenly some of the teachers at the high table gave cries of surprise, McGonagall stood and hurried from the room. Dumbledore was sat staring at the dishes and tureens that the food came in looking confused, fiddling with his beard. Severus had a hand over his mouth, hiding his smile from his colleagues.

Hermione clapped her hands together in glee.

"What's going on?" Asked Blaise.

"It's the house elves. A sizeable number of them are rebelling today. I'd completely forgotten about it."

"House elves rebelling? Whatever for?" Asked a Slytherin girl Hermione didn't recognise. She looked to be in her third year.

"It's a rebellion led by the house elf Dobby..." Draco looked up sharply at that and Hermione grinned. "He's fighting for equal rights for all house elves, fighting for pay, holidays, that sort of thing. It's a slow movement to be established because if they grant elves equal rights with humans, other so called 'sub-species' will have the precedent to demand the same for themselves."

Draco rolled his eyes and Pansy hit his arm. "Its an admirable cause Draco."

"Sorry, just goes against everything I've ever known."

Hermione rounded on him, whilst still watching the commotion at the teacher's table. "Its down to your family that this rebellion is happening at all actually. It was your mistreatment of Dobby that started the ball rolling so to speak."

Draco looked a bit put out, but then shrugged. "Well if I started it I'm going to support it, down with discrimination indeed. "

Pansy rolled her eyes and kissed him tenderly. Hermione ignored them and watched McGonagall drag a proud looking Dobby into the room by the ears. She took him to Dumbledore who looked like he was having some choice words with the diminutive elf. Dobby was giving as good as he got however, and he suddenly broke away from Dumbledore and raised his arm. A dart of light came from his hand and hovered in a bright cloud above the heads of the students, many ducked or cowered. The cloud swirled and formed itself into words. Hermione laughed when she saw them.

"Potential members," Squeaked Dobby above the noise of the hall, "cans address letterses to Mr Dobby, Hogwarts Kitchens." With a pop he disappeared, probably to the kitchens.

There was a flash of light as Colin Creevey took a picture of the words floating near the ceiling, and Hermione made a mental note to get a copy off of him. The words were simple, Society Against Discrimination, or S.A.D. Hermione was impressed, and Dobby had chosen words that could cover anyone suffering from discrimination. The acronym was also a lot better than her own terrible attempt with S.P.E.W when she'd been younger. S.A.D showed how discrimination made them feel at least.

Blaise turned and smiled at her. "Congratulations Hermione, isn't this what you wanted when you started spew?"

Hermione blinked in surprise. She hadn't known word of S.P.E.W had got as far as this house. "Uh, its more than I'd hoped for really. Dobby seems to have taken my message and expanded it to all discriminated against non-human races."

"You must be so proud."

Hermione felt a sense of foreboding creep over her. The way Blaise was being so attentive, how he'd treated her at the Ball on New Years. With a mental sigh she realised Blaise probably had a bit of a crush on her, she had been putting a lot more effort into her appearance recently, and as she'd now joined his friendship group he was probably grateful not to be the single guy hanging around with the couple, Draco and Pansy. Plus, it would make a nice symmetry if they went out,

**Merlin**, she thought, **he's probably planning double dates or something.**

"Yes." She replied. "I am very proud." She turned her full concentration on her dinner.

As the feast drew to a close Dumbledore dismissed the school. As the Hall emptied Hermione stood, feeling for the first time out of her depth. She tugged on Pansy's robe sleeve.

"Where is the Slytherin common room?" She whispered urgently. "I've no desire to look unsure in front of the school."

"Just link arms with me." Whispered Pansy. "And stride."

Hermione did so and they went forth from the hall together, cutting a commanding presence through the crowd. People moved out of their way to let them pass, Hermione even spotted Ginny scuttling round a corner to avoid them. As the descended further into the bowels of the castle, entering the dungeons Hermione memorised the route, finding that the dungeons were far more labyrinthine than she'd expected. Pansy came to a stop in front of a bare stone wall.

"Arsenic." She said, and the wall moved to reveal a door.

It opened and they went through. Hermione looked around eagerly. The room was just how Harry and Ron had described it in their second year when they'd gone in as Crabbe and Goyle. It was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceilings. There were green lamps hanging from the ceiling on chains, and there were a few bolted onto the walls. The quality of light was therefore slightly eerie, but strangely comfortable too. There was a large fireplace with an elaborately carved mantelpiece with several matching carved chairs arranged around it, silhouetted against the firelight.

Pansy led her over to the chairs and they sat down. Draco and Blaise joined them a short while later.

"So." Said Draco. "A prank. Any ideas?"

"It needs to annoy him, but not anger him per se." Said Hermione.

"So something ridiculous, something funny. But that will irritate him and get his attention." Said Pansy.

"Exactly."

"Something weasleyesque?" Put in Blaise with distaste.

"'Fraid so." Laughed Hermione.

"Well what sort of thing did they get up to? There are those sweets to get out of class…"

"But skipping Potions is not something I want to do."

"The swamp was quite impressive." Added Pansy.

"For Gryffindors." Muttered Blaise.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Much of what they did was very impressive. I always felt they must be very intelligent, but they wasted their talents on mischief. The canary creams for example…"

"Hold that thought." Said Draco suddenly. "You wanted ridiculous, you wanted funny."

Hermione raised her eyebrow. "You want me to take a canary cream in class?"

"No that's too simple. Far too Gryffindor. Here's what I think you should do…"

An hour or so later Hermione and Draco made their goodbyes and made their way back to their rooms. Hermione went to her room and hung her Slytherin robes on the back of the door. She sat on her bed and stared back at them, a great sense of satisfaction within her. Her first day where she truly belonged had been wonderful, a true Slytherin now she could finally say what she wanted to say, act how she wanted to act.

With a happy sigh she rolled off the bed onto the floor and looked underneath it for Crookshanks, who sometimes sat under there in the warm dark. Sure enough he was huddled up against the wall at the head end of her bed.

"Here Crooks, come on out."

She reached a hand under to coax him out but as she brushed against his fur she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her wrist. Drawing her hand back out she looked at it and saw to her horror puncture marks.

"You bit me."

Hermione couldn't believe it. She had rescued the cat when no one else had wanted him. He had never bitten, never scratched her. She sat back and watched as Crookshanks crept out from under the bed, hackled raised, eyes squinting at her. Crookshanks hissed and leapt around her onto the windowsill, as far as he could get from her and the bed. She stood and began to move towards him, but he hissed again and spat in her direction. Giving up she returned to her bed. Thinking about it, Crookshanks had very much been on her side when she'd been with the order. She may have changed, but Crookshanks hadn't. She knew he had a mind of his own, knowing that Scabbers was Pettigrew when no one else did, trusting Sirius when no one else knew what the dog was.

She changed for bed and crawled under the covers. The pain of losing her friends hadn't been all that bad, but as a witch losing the support of ones familiar, that was hard.


	2. Quack

Hermione got through her first day of classes with difficulty. Every time she saw her friends she found herself overcome with the desire to giggle. Lessons were therefore interesting. Luckily the techniques she used to block out Harry and Ron during the last few years served her once again, and she was able to stay attentive and take her notes to her usual high standard. There was always the risk that if her grades slipped even just a little the teachers might intervene, at last having an excuse to punish her for something.

When her Arithmacy class finished at the end of the school day she gave Draco a quick grin and scurried out quickly, not wanting to be delayed by full corridors. She went down to the girl's bathroom nearest Severus' office and pulled a brown paper bag out of her school bag. Tipping it out into a sink a pile of multi-coloured feathers poured out. They were all bright, lemon yellows and lime greens, bright oranges and electric blue. Hermione set to work with her wand fixing the feathers in place about her person. She entwined tons in her hair, some sticking out at odd angles around her ears and shrunk some to a very small scale to cover her eyebrows completely. Unfastening the top few buttons of her school shirt she stuffed a few into her bra so they peeped over the top of the material. The last couple she put in the knot of her school tie. Staring in the mirror Hermione realised that if this didn't get his attention, she should be worried. No normal person wouldn't react to her covered in multicoloured feathers.

She peered round the bathroom door to make sure the corridor was clear. Pansy and Blaise were supposed to be stopping people from entering, but it always helped to be sure. She walked to his office door and took a deep breath before she knocked, willing her giggles down into her toes so they wouldn't work their way out of her.

"Enter." He barked when she rapped on the door.

She strode boldly in, walking straight up to his desk without hesitation. Severus did not look up at her.

"What do you want Miss Granger?"

"I came to QUACK ask when we would schedule work on the potion?"

He paused in his writing. Hermione fought not to grin; he probably thought he'd imagined her quacking. He then resumed his marking.

"I will decide when my timetable is free enough and owl you."

"That's not QUACK good enough Severus. What if QUACK I cannot meet your timetable exactly?"

Severus looked up, from his lower position sitting down he was eyelevel with her chest. His frowned in confusion to see her shirt half unbuttoned, feathers spilling out of her bra. He looked up and his mouth fell open when he saw the feathers covered the rest of her. Hermione made a puzzled expression. "What?"

"You are covered in feathers."

"I QUACK know. Now about this QUACK schedule…"

He held up his hand to stop her speaking.

"Dare I ask why you're quacking?"

"I expect QUACK so."

He pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. "Why are you quacking Miss Granger?"

"I'm turning into a duck. Duh."

He stared at her for a moment. Hermione managed a frown. "If you're quite done with QUACK irrelevancies, I would like to discuss this QUACK potion QUACK QUACK."

Severus stood and put some distance between them, muttering under his breath. "It's not a canary cream, the feathers are multicoloured not yellow. And its effected her mind as well, thinks its normal…" He made for the door now speaking louder. "Remain here for a moment Miss Granger, I will return with Madame Pomfrey."

Hermione put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. "I know you've been QUACK ignoring me and the burgeoning 'thing' between us Severus, but I had no QUACK idea it was effecting your QUACK health."

Severus shook his head and closed the door behind him. Hermione listened and heard the quiet click of the lock. Now grinning widely she took out her wand and transfigured the feathers into sweets. She ate them quickly, anticipating his return at any moment. She buttoned up her shirt and smoothed her hair, once again becoming the acceptable, not mentally deranged, Hermione Granger. Severus returned a few moments later, as he opened the door Hermione was pleased to note he was out of breath. He must have been really concerned to have run there and back. Madame Pomfrey followed him in a second later, rolling up her sleeves with her wand out and a travel medical kit swinging in the air behind her.

Hermione jumped down off of the desk she'd been sat on, and calmly watched them come towards her.

"Madame, what's wrong?"

Madame Pomfrey glanced at Severus who was looking tight-lipped. "I had Professor Snape report that you'd been put under some kind of charm or hex…"

"I assure you that nothing of that kind has happened. However I understand Professor Snape might be concerned about my well being, Slytherin is a dangerous house to defect to after all, and as one of his students I'm sure he has _only _my safety at heart. " She shot him a knowing look and he glowered at her.

"And I can assure you Madame, that not five minutes ago she was covered in multi-coloured feathers, quacking mid sentence and told me herself with no hint of concern that she was turning into a duck!"

Hermione and Madame Pomfrey looked at him for a moment. Hermione then broke the silence, in her very best concerned-but-only-in-a-respectful-student-way voice.

"With all due respect Professor, seeing and hearing things is a sign of mental illness. Perhaps you'd like to talk about whatever or _whoever_ is troubling you?"

Severus understood that she was referring to them and his eyes blazed in anger. "My private life is my business _student_. Now GET OUT."

Hermione shrugged. "Okey dokey _Professor_." She walked towards the door. When she reached it she turned around. Madame Pomfrey was rooting around in her medical kit and Severus was staring at her, his hands clenched into fists. She allowed herself a wicked smile, and winked at him. His eyes narrowed. She laughed and shut the door behind her, pressing her ear against the wood to hear what happened next.

Muffled, but just audible, Hermione could hear Madam Pomfrey's voice speaking, from its tone she guessed it was a question asked in a worried, motherly voice. Then much louder and clearer was Severus yelling at her to go away. Hermione smirked and ran up the corridor to tell the others that their plan worked perfectly.

The next day at breakfast Hermione was recounting to a grinning Pansy Severus' face when he first saw the feathers for the millionth time when Severus himself stormed into the Great Hall in an obviously foul mood. Hermione chuckled to see that Madam Pomfrey had swapped seats with Hagrid and was sitting next to Severus' usual seat. Severus glowered when he too noticed, and changed direction from the teacher's table and bore down on her instead. Hermione looked up, her face clear, despite Pansy's muffled giggles from next to her.

Severus stopped next to them and his jaw tightened when he saw Pansy giggling and Blaise and Draco staring resolutely down at their plates, identical grimaces on their faces from trying not to smile.

"Can I help you Professor?" Asked Hermione innocently.

He didn't answer but gripped her by her collar at the back of her neck and yanked her to her feet. He then, still holding onto her, stalked from the Hall. Hermione allowed herself to be dragged along, and waved at the others as she rounded the corner, an unconcerned smile on her face. Several students started to laugh, and Madam Pomfrey made a note on a piece of parchment.

He dragged her down a corridor away from prying eyes and released her angrily. Hermione stood leisurely, smiling sweetly.

"What the hell was that yesterday Hermione?"

She raised an eyebrow delicately. "Hermione now is it? I was Miss Granger yesterday."

Her growled and stood closer to her, towering over her in what she figured was an automatic reaction to designed to intimidate her. "What I call you is not the issue. I even had Dumbledore ask me if the stress of being a spy was getting a bit much last night."

Hermione bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"You think this is funny? I could make life very difficult for you, you realise that."

Hermione smiled. "More difficult than it already is? I doubt that."

He growled at her blithe dismissal of his threat and pressed in closer to her, forcing her backwards so she was crushed against the wall. Hermione licked her lips and looked up at his angry face. The light in his eyes was back, and she was encouraged by his emotional response to her. She decided to push him a little further.

"In fact…" She dropped her voice, so he had to close the space between them to hear her. "The only way my life could get more complex right now would be if you stopped being a fool and admitted how you feel about me."

He growled deep in his throat and he dipped his head to whisper in her ear, unable to resist getting nearer to her. His hands were now on either side of her, only just not touching her hips, pinning her so she couldn't move sideways around him. "You're playing with fire Hermione, you don't want to get burnt."

Hermione took a shaking breath, well aware that she was normally on fire when he was around thank-you-very-much. Being close to him was usually her undoing. She tilted her head upwards towards him, their faces an inch or so apart. She saw with a rush that the old desire was back, however hard he masked it. Staring right into his eyes she spoke.

"Bring it."

His eyes flickered and he looked like he was about to say something when the bell rang shrilly, an unwelcome reminder of where and who they were. He straightened, moving off and away from her. Hermione felt the rush of cold air hit her body as the space he'd inhabited emptied. He gave her one last look, and stalked away. Hermione leant back against the wall and took a few deep breaths to ground her. He was so damned hot. Shaking her head she stood, and made her way to her first lesson.

Hermione stretched and worked the kinks out of her back. She'd been sat at her desk in her room for the last two hours doing her homework. She looked up at the top of her wardrobe to see if Crookshanks was still up there. He was. He had climbed up there when she'd entered her rooms at the end of the school day and hadn't moved, sat still and silent watching her venomously. She sighed sadly, if Crooks didn't want her, she didn't want him. It wasn't fair to either of them. Though she'd rather swim naked in the Great Lake than give him to a Gryffindor, however much Crookshanks might want that.

She thought for a few minutes about whom she could the ginger fur ball to and decided on Luna. Sure she was in the order, but she was a Ravenclaw. Jumping up Hermione froze her cat and levitated him down so he was bobbing about it in the air in front of her. She left her bedroom and found Draco and Pansy talking quietly on one sofa, while Blaise was sitting looking extremely bored on the other one with Crabbe and Goyle. Who were eating. Hermione took pity on him.

"You fancy a walk Zambini? I'm going to the Ravenclaw tower to palm this moggy off on Luna. Crooks is an order cat at heart."

Blaise jumped up eagerly. "Lets go!" He said, half dragging her out of the portrait hole. "I'll carry Crookshanks for you if you like." He said, and plucked him out of the air. Hermione remembered what she suspected about his feelings towards her, and mentally rolled her eyes at his taking advantage of this situation to impress her.

"Thanks."

They made their way to the Ravenclaw tower hardly speaking. Blaise was telling her about Slytherins chances in the Quidditch cup, which were greatly improved now that the Gryffindor team had lost their seeker, who they tended to need as some kind of lucky charm. Hermione grimaced and nodded and smiled at all the right bits. The idea of winning the cup was a welcome one, but his babbling sounded a lot like Ron and Harry's ceaseless Quidditch conversations. She made him hand over Crookshanks as they neared the Ravenclaw tower, and she went on ahead. A first year was leaving as she got there, so she asked him to go back in and fetch Luna Lovegood out for her. He did so, but obviously under duress.

"What do you want traitor?" Asked Luna pleasantly when she came to the door.

Hermione smiled at how Luna could say what she meant by hiding it under that dotty exterior that she didn't fully accept was accidental.

"Crookshanks isn't happy to be my familiar anymore." She said, deciding to keep things simple. "I thought you'd be able to handle him."

Luna held out her hands and Hermione placed the frozen cat into them. "I'm not surprised he's not happy if you treat him like that." She said. With a twirl of her wand she released him from the spell, whereupon he jumped down and stalked into the Ravenclaw common room, head high and tail straight up in the air.

"He seems to like you." Said Hermione.

Luna nodded. "I'll look after him now, goodbye Hermione."

Luna turned and closed the door in her face. Hermione let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding and sniffed. That was one less thing to worry about, now to deal with Blaise. She retraced her steps and found him exactly where she'd left him.

"Lets go for a walk down by the lake," she suggested. "I don't feel like staying cooped up inside."

Blaise agreed quickly so they went down to the lake, Hermione setting a fast pace so she could get the conversation over with as soon as possible.

Severus was staring out of the window he'd created in his dungeon wall. It had taken techniques he usually used to block out Death Eater activities from his mind to keep thoughts of Hermione at bay while he graded essays. That wasn't good. He'd told himself he wouldn't dwell on what he couldn't have, that he'd try to ignore her as much as possible until the dull ache went away.

_But then she came to me covered in feathers_; he smiled at the memory and then frowned in frustration. Right, so looking back it had been quite amusing, if he had been watching it as an impartial observer he would have laughed.

_Instead, I have Pomfrey doing the mother goose thing, asking me if I'm feeling well every time she sees me, Dumbledore twinkling that damned twinkle and asking me if perhaps I'm ready to give up spying – as if. The old man just found the whole thing hilarious. And Hermione…Hermione made a fool of me. She had the insane idea to coat herself in feathers and quack like a duck, and then had the audacity to wink at me as she left. And she told her friends if the giggles at breakfast are anything to go by._

Severus stared out at the calming view of the lake morosely. _I don't understand why she'd making this more complex than it needs to be. Stopping where we were was the right thing…_

He paused in his thoughts and groaned as he recognised Hermione walking out towards the lake with Blaise. He watched them stop to sit on the rocks that littered the shore, expecting Draco and Pansy to follow them into view. When they didn't he narrowed his eyes.

They sat and talked for a few minutes and he felt himself relaxing. They must just be getting some fresh air. When they stood and hugged his attention to the scene rapidly increased and he glowered at what he was seeing. The final straw was when Hermione pecked the boy on the cheek, before the two of them headed back in the direction of the castle. Severus' grip on the arms of his chair left his knuckles white. The ache doubling in pain at how she had touched the boy. _What the hell is she doing acting like that with him, she's mine…_

He leant forwards and smacked his head hard on the desk in front of him. "No." He said to himself firmly. "You are not feeling like that. You are in no way jealous of Zambini. You don't want to be jealous, Hermione is welcome to him."

He raised his head enough to reach for his wand, directing his firewhiskey to pour itself into a glass. "Damn." He muttered.


	3. Many Meetings

The rest of the week passed by quickly for Hermione, the excitement of the looming marking ceremony getting the best of her. Her chat with Blaise had gone well, he'd understood that she was only interested in Snape, and agreed to step down. However Severus hadn't made any more attempts to speak to her, and she hadn't wanted to risk another prank with the ceremony so close. With nothing to distract her, Hermione had been working doubly hard. She had to act like nothing was out of the ordinary so not to arouse suspicion that she might be up to something; so excessive schoolwork was an easy way to look like nothing was up. She was Hermione Granger, resident workaholic after all.

When she woke up on Friday morning it didn't take long for the butterflies to start up in her stomach. As she dressed the surrealism of what this day meant began to prey on her mind. It was much more of a task to look normal throughout the day. She was getting near constant looks from her friends. They ranged from jealously and pride, to fear on her behalf, which didn't help. She'd told them she'd be tested under Veritaserum, and they'd looked horrified. Prior to that Hermione hadn't been too scared of that part of the ceremony, but now her doubts set in. An unfortunate side effect of being intelligent with a vivid imagination was that she could dream up whole situations, each one more unsettling than the last.

The day disappeared with an alacrity that startled her. Her feet took her to and from lessons, her mind worked on autopilot on her assignments, and her friends tried to distract her with conversation. Before she knew it, she was sat in the Great Hall for dinner at the end of the day, Draco and Pansy on either side of her piling food onto her plate.

"You haven't eaten all day Hermione." Said Draco. "Personally, I'd want to have some strength."

Pansy took Hermione's fork and stuck it vertically in a mound of mashed potato. "Eat." She commanded.

Hermione mechanically took the fork and nibbled on a bit of sausage. The others encouraged her and she managed to force down most of her generous helping. Hermione had been resolutely refusing to look up at the teacher's table where Severus was sat, but when the hall began to empty she glanced up to see what he would do. He gave a curt nod in her direction and stood, swooping out of the room like the overgrown bat he was so often compared to. Hermione took a deep breath and smiled weakly at her friends.

"See you later." She said, her voice strong despite her trepidation.

Pansy gave her a hug and Draco squeezed her arm.

"You'll do great." He told her seriously. Hermione smiled at him, her fear lessening slightly. Draco had been there for her since the beginning, and she trusted his word above most things.

"Thanks Draco."

She stood and made her way out of the hall after Severus, her head held high and her shoulders back, a stance to hide how ill she was now feeling. She rounded the corner and Severus was waiting for her. Wordlessly he handed her a vial of creamy white potion. She drank it without question, and recognised it by taste to be a stomach-settling potion, not the calming draught she had expected.

"You need to be in full control of your mind." He replied to her unspoken question. "A calming draught would compromise that."

Hermione nodded and followed him out of the castle, feeling better.

As they left, Ginny emerged from behind a statue, taking off Harry's invisibility cloak from around her shoulders.

She had been returning from a stint with Harry working on the horcruxes, sneaking back into the castle under his cloak ready to pass it on to Ron when she'd had to hide to avoid Snape striding into her. When he hadn't gone down to the dungeons, choosing instead to hang around in the shadows, Ginny had decided to hang around as well to see what he was up to. She had watched as Hermione silently approached Snape, taking the potion he offered and drinking it without hesitation or asking what it was. Ginny watched wide-eyed as Snape said a half dozen words to Hermione, cursing that she couldn't hear what he was saying. When he moved off towards the castle doors Ginny stared as Hermione followed him without pause. Ginny smiled grimly. If this wasn't proof that the old git and the traitor weren't in cahoots she didn't know what was.

Severus walked quickly, paying little attention to Hermione, who despite being mostly preoccupied with the upcoming ceremony was annoyed that he was being so distant.

"Quack." She said quietly.

Severus whirled around and she pretended to jump, as if startled. "What?" She asked.

"I, nothing." He muttered and continued to walk, but a little less haughtily. Hermione smirked at his back. She didn't want to drive him insane, but it would have been funny.

He opened the gates of the castle grounds and they stepped through. Hermione took a deep breath, imagining the air outside the grounds of Hogwarts to be somehow freer.

"We will be apparating to the same woods outside of Grambleton Village as last time, I trust you can visualise them sufficiently to apparate there?"

"Of course Severus, it would be hard to forget the place where I first properly saw you and not Professor Snape."

He frowned, but was unable to correct her. When a shadow, he didn't have the same degree of authority over her. He apparated with a pop, leaving Hermione alone next to the golden gates. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She looked back at the castle that was currently framed by the sunset in the gathering gloom. She thought she saw a figure standing at the main doors, but dismissed it as someone walking past them when they seemed to disappear again.

_I must just be jittery, seeing things…_ she thought to herself. Concentrating on Grambleton woods she followed Severus with a pop.

She arrived on the other side of the clearing from Severus, and hurried towards him. It was slightly lighter here, as it was further south than Hogwarts, and the shadows were just lengthening, twilight just beginning. She was surprised to see that Severus had changed his clothes in the interval, and was dressed in shades of grey. A light grey shirt with an open neck trimmed in white-grey was gleaming slightly, silver threads running through it, and the buttons were a similar shining hue. The cuffs were embroidered with more shining silver thread. His trousers were a darker grey, flaring out over shoes of the same shade. His hair was tied back as it had been on New Years, with a grey ribbon. Hermione felt very young and pathetic in her school uniform next to him, but refused to let her discomfort show.

Severus turned and walked along the path out of the clearing to the village, the streetlights glowing dimly at the bottom of the hill as the bulbs warmed up. It was a short walk made shorter, as both of them were walking swiftly. There was none of the light-hearted banter that had accompanied them last time they'd walked here together, and Hermione remembered wistfully how she had picked leaves out of his hair, and he'd gently done the same to her, not being angry at Draco when he'd made a comment about them double dating with him and Pansy.

As they walked into Riddle front garden Hermione felt the fear leave her. This is where she belonged; the wait was what had unsettled her. Now she was here her resolve was strong. Severus seemed to sense the change in her, and paused to look at her as they waited for someone to answer the door.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, and his voice was softer than it had been.

Hermione looked up at him smiling faintly. "I'm ready, though still a bit concerned about the Veritaserum I'll admit."

He hazarded a small answering smile of his own. "You'll be fine."

The door opened a crack and Hermione heard the now familiar voice of Lucius Malfoy.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"To be a part of your story." Replied Severus.

"To what purpose and what end?"

"To help the shadows exist in the midday sun."

"How many shadows would you have thrive?"

"As many as accept that darkness rules light."

"How many shadows are there seeking inclusion."

"One, and another who seeks to join us."

The door opened and the two of them were bathed in light. What looked like hundreds of candles were blazing in the corridor, creating flickering shadows along the walls. Hermione had little time to admire the effect, as she was guided quickly up some stairs to the one upstairs room of the bungalow. The room was large, but had less candles than the hallway. There were a few chandeliers hanging from the ceiling but the light level was nonetheless very low. Hermione saw there was a small group of people waiting for her, dressed in the same manner as Severus, greys shot through with silver. They bobbed just outside the main circle of light, in which a chair had been placed at the bottom of a short flight of steps up to a dais with another chair on it. They looked for all the world like shadows, and Hermione shivered. Severus placed his hand on her shoulder, and she relaxed against him. He pushed her forward into the room and one of the shadows came forward. Hermione recognised Narcissa Malfoy and smiled.

"Hello Mrs Malfoy, it's good to see you again." Narcissa smiled back at her and extended a hand.

"Come Hermione, we need to get you dressed for the ceremony." Hermione placed her hand in the older woman's and was led away into a corner of the room. There she was ushered through another door into a small room. Narcissa opened a cupboard and levitated out an outfit in the same greys and silver as the others. It was a dress instead of a shirt and trouser combination, and Hermione saw Narcissa was also wearing a dress. Narcissa left her alone and she slipped out of her school robes, holding the dress up against her before putting it on. It was beautiful in a simple way that she admired greatly.

She slipped it on over her head and smoothed out the crinkles. It was a light grey bodice trimmed in a creamy white with silver embroidery; it was brought in at her waist with a linen belt of the same shade and from that sank to the ground in a darker shade of grey, flaring only slightly about the feet. Hermione figured that this uniform of sorts was only worn on special occasions, as no one had worn it on her previous encounters with the shadows.

Someone knocked softly on the door and Hermione opened it. Severus was on the other side.

"Are you ready? We're having a bit of a meet and greet while Tom prepares."

Hermione nodded and followed him out. The group of shadows stopped chatting amongst themselves and came out into the light so Hermione could see them. To her surprise there weren't that many, only about half a dozen tops. Seeing her confusion Severus explained that the organisation was a small one anyway, and several members were in missions that they couldn't get out of to come today. Hermione nodded in understanding.

Severus led her towards the Malfoy's, and Hermione heard the conversations start up around her. More at ease now, she greeted the Malfoy's cheerfully.

"It's lovely to see you again Hermione." Said Lucius pleasantly.

"Thank you, and I apologise for not saying goodbye on New Years, I didn't get a chance, I hope Draco passed on the message. I did very much enjoy the evening."

Hermione missed the wink Lucius sent Severus when she said what a good time she'd had. Severus saw it however, and scowled.

"I hope I didn't show you up in front of your guests, it must have been quite a decision to allow a Gryffindor to come, and I am not used to such grandiose events!"

"Not at all dear." Said Narcissa. "You're welcome at the Manor any time, you're to be a shadow. And even if you weren't, you're a delightful young woman. Besides, I dare say Miss Parkinson would appreciate some feminine company over the holidays, our Draco can get a bit much."

"Remember that time he went to pick up Pansy from he orphanage?" Chuckled Lucius. "He spent so much time talking to the staff there that Pansy got fed up waiting for him, and turned up at our estate on her own. We were all sitting down to dinner when Draco eventually returned wondering where she was!"

Hermione saw the anecdote for what it was, a funny story to put her at ease and she appreciated the gesture. But it was still a bit odd for her to have Lucius act so friendly around her, he'd been so cold, sinister and aristocratic when she'd been younger. By this time, she'd seen him stoned, seen him hardly bat an eyelid seeing her and Severus make out in his garden and was chatting to her like a family friend. It was a bit of shift in thinking.

The two Malfoys turned and began to talk to someone else, so Severus introduced her to the next nearest person. It took a moment for Hermione to register who it was in the gloom, and when she recognised him she gasped.

"Percy?"

"Hermione, it really is wonderful to see you."

"But, you disappeared, we thought you…"

"I've been undercover out in the muggle world. Can't really tell you about it quite yet for security reasons you understand, but I have missed everyone terribly. The whole fall out was staged on my side I'm afraid, do they all hate me?"

Hermione felt uncomfortable. "Molly gets teary when you're mentioned, your dad is stoical about it, I think he feels you'll come back when you're good and ready. Ron hates you, and I think Ginny does too. The twins aren't that bothered, and I don't know about Bill and Charlie."

"Well are they all alright? What have they been up to?" Percy seemed genuinely starved of news and Hermione wondered where he'd been.

"Well Bill and Fleur have got married, it was an interesting ceremony with all those veelas in beautiful dresses. Ron made a total fool of himself. Speaking of Ron, he and I dated for a little while but it didn't work out when he called me a traitor and I moved to Slytherin and everything." Percy nodded in understanding. "He's now the head of a second 'golden trio' of sorts, at least that's what they look to be styling themselves as. But its him Ginny and Neville, so its not quite as impressive really. He's failing most of his subjects without my help that I'm enjoying watching, except for Herbology and Charms, which are Neville and Ginny's areas of talent. Fred and George are still very successful with Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes, and that's about it really. Although to be honest, I'm not really the best person to ask. I'm not an honorary Weasley anymore."

Percy sniffed disdainfully. "Those two could have used their smarts on anything, could have helped the wizarding world. But they squander it on tricks and games. It's a real shame."

"I agree, but I'm not overly bothered anymore. As it happens you're the only Weasley I've missed recently. When you disappeared I missed our conversation, you were the only one in the burrow who could hold more than one thought in your head at any one time." Hermione felt Severus shift his weight onto the foot nearer to her. She fought the urge to grin, was he subtly signalling to Percy she was off limits? _Nice._

"I am sorry Hermione, but we can talk plenty now you're to be on of us."

"I look forward to it Percy."

Severus coughed and they moved on once again. The man held out his hand and they shook, Hermione recognised him but couldn't quite place him.

"Florean Fortescue." He said. "I used to run the ice-cream shop in Diagon Alley."

Hermione smacked her head. "Of course! Now I feel like an idiot. How are you? I take it your disappearance was a cover too?"

Florean smiled. "I'm afraid so. I'm fine thank you, busy though. I often miss the lazy days serving young people like yourself, although business is booming despite my absence." He chuckled and his eyes misted over for a moment. "Yes, well. I'm working undercover for Tom at present, which is far more important."

"I had no idea you were political Mr Fortescue, how long have you been a shadow?"

"I was approached by Tom when I was thirty, and I'll let you work out how long ago that was yourself. I've mainly been around to open minds and be a friendly face. Perhaps Potter told you how I helped him on his witch burning essay in the summer between his first and second years?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, I'm afraid he passed that off as all his own work. I should have been suspicious, it was far too detailed for him."

Florean rolled his eyes. "That boy has no subtlety. I tried to lead him to ask questions that summer, but he was too dense to ask the right ones, unlike yourself Hermione." Hermione grinned. "I couldn't volunteer the information like Severus did with you, he was too young and had no idea what he was embroiled in, I understand Dumbledore only just explained everything to him last year?" Hermione nodded. "Disgraceful."

"Hermione." Whispered Severus. "You must be polite and respectful to the next member at all costs."

Hermione schooled her expression accordingly and came face to face with a goblin. She mentally frowned. _As if I'd be impolite, I'm the founder of S.P.E.W for chrissake. Honestly…_

"Miss Granger." The goblin bowed low and Hermione attempted a curtsey. "Welcome to the Shadows. You will remember that when you turn twenty you must come to Gringotts and sign documents to have you pay tax. Failure to comply will result in consequences. More positively, you bank balance has been climbing steadily and you are financially solvent."

Hermione blinked. "Thank you. I don't believe I've had the pleasure of your name sir?"

"You may call me Ragnok. If you will excuse me."

"Of course." The goblin bowed again and left to discuss finance with the affluent Malfoys.

"Well that was somewhat unusual." Said Hermione.

"Ragnok is one of a few non-human Shadows, and the least friendly. But he's alright once you get to know him."

Hermione looked around. "Who's that?" She asked, pointing to a man speaking to Lucius.

"That's a friend of mine. Come on." Severus led her over to the final Shadow, who turned from Lucius to greet them.

"Hermione." Said the stranger. "My name is Evan Rosier, Sev's best mates and let me tell you, he left the best to last."

Severus snorted.

"It's true, I'm handosme charming and have a sparkling wit, ladies fall at my feet, don't they Cissy."

Narcissa rolled her eyes from the other side of the room. "Married with a son Evan!"

"Trifles Milady."

Evan turned back to Hermione and winked. "She wants me." He mouthed. Lucius gave him a playful smack.

Evan Rosier was a little shorter than Severus, with light brown hair cut so the only word to describe it had to be 'shaggy', and hazel eyes which twinkled as much as Dumbledores, but with mirth and mischief rather than witheld knowledge. Even in his pristine ceremonial outfit he looked somewhat bucaneer, his shirt undone a few more buttons than the other men, sleeves rolled up and big heavy black leather boots instead of the standard grey shoes.

_This guy could be a partner in crime, he's Severus' best friend and has a mischievious streak if he's anything to go by._

"So what's your story Mr Rosier?"

"Ah, call me Evan young lady, Mr Rosier is my father."

Hermione grinned. "Same question, addressed to the son."

"Well the party line is that I was killed by death eaters after Karkaroffs capture, but our resident death eaters Lucius and Sev staged that. Now I am, as so many others are, undercover. It's all very hush hush." He waggled his eyebrows and Hermione laughed.

"Are you they guy who took a chunk out of Moodys nose?"

"Old mad-eye? Yeah that was me. I wanted to get it all but we can't have everything now can we?"

Their conversation was cut short when the rooms door opened and Tom Riddle came in partly supported by the house-elf Hapsad. Unlike the other shadows he was dressed all in black.The room fell slent and the Shadows moved to form a circle with the chair at the bottom of the dais in the middle. Hermione was stood inbetween Severus and Evan opposite the dais. Riddle climbed the stairs to his seat at the top of the platform and looked down at them all. Her marking ceremony had begun.


	4. Joining up

The room was plunged into darkness when Riddle sat, the circle of members illuminated only but a single chandelier hanging above them.

"What iss our purpose? What would we have done?" Asked Riddle from his elevated position.

"To have the shadows exist in the midday sun." Everyone replied.

"How many sshadows would you have thrive?"

"As many as accept that darkness rules light." Hermione joined in with that response, she had heard it a few times now and recognised it.

"We few are the brightest and boldest, we few are the loyal and brave. We meet in secret, work in secret, take our secrets to the grave." They all chanted.

"We pledged our livess to the wizarding world."

"To protect and shelter, to guide and lead."

"We know in our hearts what is wrong, what is right. We help all those who need us, through darkness or light."

Riddle raised his hand. "Severus Snape, you brought among us one you believe worthy to become a Shadow."

Severus took a step forward. "I have."

"You will vouch for her, teach her and suffer the consequences should she betray us?"

"I will."

"Bring her."

Severus turned around and held out his hand to Hermione. She took it. He had never told her he was putting himself on the line by bringing her to the Shadows. He led her to the middle of the circle and she sat in the chair. Severus climbed the few steps and took a vial of Veritaserum from Riddle. Turning back to her he gave her the vial; as she had to be seen to be taking the potion of her own free will. Hermione took it with a shaking hand and downed the clear mixture. As she'd known, it was both odourless and tasteless, which gave the uncomfortable feeling she hadn't drunk it at all. Even water tastes of water, however faintly. The Shadows waited in silence for the potion to take hold.

Hermione felt like she was getting very drunk. Her head was swimming, and she got very dizzy. The chair was built for this however, and she was able to lean back to keep from toppling over. Her eyes clouded over and everything she saw became as misty shapes in a swirling mass of whites and greys. _Somewhat appropriate._ She thought just as her mind succumbed to the potion. Then she was under the influence, her mind blank.

Severus watched as she went under, and when her head lolled to one side with no mental impetus to control it he turned to Riddle.

"She is under my Lord, ready for questioning."

Riddle sat a little straighter and began. "What iss your name?"

"Hermione Jane Granger."

"Where do you live?"

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I have no home outside it, my parents are in hiding and I own no property."

"Do you know where your parentss are?"

"No."

"Would you willingly work for the Order of the Phoenix to gain that knowledge that they hold?"

"No, I would not even for that."

"Would you break all tiess with your family for the greater good?"

"I would."

"Would you ssacrifice their livess for the greater good?"

Hermione paused. "I do not know."

Riddle nodded his head in satisfaction, a mindless drone was not what he wanted in his organisation, such a question should not be a black or white, yes or no.

"Have you deep down truly ended your allegiance to Dumbledore and the Order?"

Hermione replied immediately and loudly. "Yes."

"Who is your allegiance to?"

Hermione paused, and Severus held his breath.

"My allegiance." She said slowly, "Is to the Shadows, to Severus Snape and to myself. I do not know in what order."

Riddle blinked in surprise. The Shadow members to were off balance and a few muttered to those around them.

"An unussually complex answer." He said after a moment. "And no less honourable in being sso, as it is the truth."

Severus shifted uneasily under the spectrum of looks he was getting from all sides with the exception of Ragnok, who wasn't interested. Percy was looking scandalised, Lucius smug, and Evan was smirking. _Damn._

"Would you die to protect the wizarding world in the interests of the Shadowss?"

"Yes."

"That clarifies your sstatement of allegiance, I am satisfied. Do you intend to follow the ways of the Shadows to the letter, to keep our ssecrets and take them to the grave?"

"I do so intend."

"Do you intend to live your life in the purssuit of our aims, setting aside your own interestss to complete our mission?"

"I do so intend."

"Are you prepared, if it sshould come to it, to end the lives of those you once were so close to?"

"I am prepared, and look forward to such a time."

Riddle raised an eyebrow speculatively.

"Is that so, describe your relationsship with Harry Potter."

"We were best friends, he and Ron Weasley were like brothers to me. I trusted Harry with my life and would have stood by his side in the final battle."

"And now?"

"The operative word was were. All that we had is gone between us, the golden trio has turned to ash. I want revenge on him for how he has treated me."

The shadows looked alarmed.

"You would kill him?"

"Not immediately. Death is too easy."

Riddle frowned; such hatred could influence her decisions.

"Would you dissobey a Shadow order to exact ssaid revenge?"

"No. I would wait until Harry was no longer of importance before acting. But I do fully intend to exact my revenge on those who so wronged me."

Severus got a chill from hearing the cold determination in her voice. He knew that she had spent years suppressing her true self as a Gryffindor, so being abandoned by those she tried so hard and long to fit in with had been traumatic for her. When she had shed those friendships so easily he had assumed she was adjusting well. At Christmas she had barely reacted to the 'presents' they had sent to hurt her physically and emotionally. He saw now that his belief that she was over them was ill founded. This malice she now bore for those old friends had sharpened in her mind. The innocent pranks she played on him, the girl who laughed and joked and schemed with Draco was just one side of her, not the whole as he had thought. She was very intelligent, and that brilliant mind could stretch from her uniquely insightful studies to a cruel and malicious woman he hadn't known existed.

Severus was recalled to the ceremony as Riddle's voice rose.

"Very well, Hermione Jane Granger I find you worthy to join the Shadows. Severus, take her to the room so she can wait out the Veritaserum, I won't have anyone abuse the situation."

Severus went forward and guided Hermione into a standing position, whereupon he coaxed her into walking with him, mindful of the stares they were receiving. He left her in the small room she had changed in, laying back on a sofa. He sighed at her glassy stare, wanting to ask her why she wouldn't just let him go when she was so young, and could do so much better. But he couldn't, that would be the abuse of Veritaserum Tom had warned against, and she would remember and be angry with him. He turned and left the room.

A while later Hermione slowly felt her mind clearing and her vision returning. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, angry with herself. She had admitted her full hatred of the order, and it had been an issue.

"They're probably all out there debating whether I'm mentally sound." She groaned.

Sitting up she shook her head to clear the cobwebs and stretched_. Despite my borderline psychotic revenge complex,_ she mused sarcastically, _Tom still accepted me into the Shadows. I'm in. _

Standing she made her way across the room and opened the door. Most of the Shadows were gone, only Severus and Narcissa, Lucius and Evan remained, talking amongst themselves while Hapsad stood talking to Riddle. Hermione coughed lightly and they all looked up. "Can I come out now?" She asked politely.

"Of course. We need to finish you induction ceremony." Said Riddle. Hermione hurried over to the dais, unsure what else she was in for. "Where would you like to be marked Hermione?" He asked.

"Oh! I'd forgotten I needed to be. Um, somewhere unobvious…"

"Mines on my left arse cheek." Said Evan.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "That's good to know, cheers."

"Mines at the base of my spine." Said Lucius.

" I think I'll have one between my breasts, over my heart. That's where the battle between light and dark will always be fought won't it." Hermione decided.

Riddle nodded in acquiescence. "Come up to me."

Hermione climbed the steps up to where Riddle was sat. He took his wand and cut away the top of her dress, though preserving her modesty in front of everyone. He put his wand in his lap and placed a single finger where she had indicated, bowing his head and speaking under his breath. Suddenly Hermione felt an intense burst of pain in her chest, and she sank to her knees on the floor gasping for breath. Slowly the pain abated and she was able to stand again, albeit shakily. The pain was dulled, but still present. Riddle stood and mended her dress, before clasping her shoulder in an avuncular fashion. Pulling back he smiled down at her.

"Welcome Hermione." Hapsad darted forward and gave Hermione's knees a hug, before supporting Riddle down the stairs and out. Hermione descended the stairs after him, and was enveloped in a hug first by Narcissa, followed by Lucius and Evan. She turned to Severus who just held out his arm to her. She shook it, disappointed but willing to take the small step.

"Congratulations Hermione." He said sincerely, and she smiled.

"Thank you."

"It's past midnight, we'd better return to Hogwarts now."

They all walked down the stairs, and Hermione went straight out into the garden. The moon was bright and the stars were clear and sharp despite the orange glow of the streetlights. Hermione breathed in deeply and smiled in content. She absently rubbed the dull ache where she'd been marked. She waited patiently for Severus who was having what looked to be quite a heated conversation with Evan, _which is hopefully about me._ She sighed. The handshake had been physical contact in public at least.

Eventually Severus joined her in the garden and they walked up the hill in silence. It was comfortable, but Hermione sensed the underlying tension between them. When they apparated back to the gates of Hogwarts she seized the moment of disorientation and slipped her arm through his. He looked at her in surprise, and she glared up at him defiantly.

"Don't get any ideas Severus. I'm still a bit shaky from the Veritaserum and the marking."

He glared back at her. "Fine."

But despite his angry expression, Hermione felt him relax, and he did support her up to the castle doors. Truth be told she was feeling a bit shaky, she'd just committed her life to a cause, and she couldn't back out without hurting him. Not that she had any intention of doing so, but it was still a big consideration. They parted in the Main Hall, and Severus went to his dungeons without saying goodnight. Hermione watched him go before going up the staircase to her rooms. As she entered the common room she was touched to see Draco, Pansy and Blaise had stayed up to wait for her. Blaise was snoring gently and Pansy was cuddled into Draco's side, also fast asleep. Draco moved her to one side and jumped up to greet her.

"How was it? How did it go?"

"It was fine, really. Said some things I wish I hadn't under Veritaserum, but it wasn't too bad."

"Can I see your mark?"

Hermione paused. In all the excitement she hadn't looked at it herself yet. She grinned at him.

"No, I'm afraid it's somewhere Pansy won't want you to see."

She smirked as his eyes widened and his eyebrows rocketed under his fringe. "Goodnight Draco."

She walked round him and went into her bedroom, pulling off her school robe that covered her shining dress. Slipping it over her shoulders she stood naked in front of the mirror admiring her new tattoo. It was full moon with wisps of black shadow curling out around it in intricate pattern. She didn't know if they meant anything or were pure decorative beauty, but she was enchanted. In the middle of the moon was a sun, its rays pointing outwards and tangling with the wisps of shadow from the moon. She stroked it, the ink slightly raised above the skin, following the curls with her fingers. She was a Shadow, the evidence now on her for all to see. And she was glad.


	5. Roles and Robes

The next morning Hermione walked around the castle with a new sense of purpose. Her tattoo was still a bit sensitive but the pain had completely abated. Being a Saturday, she dressed to match her mood, bold and confident. A short black denim skirt with big black thigh-high leather boots. A bright green and black striped halter neck top and the silver and pearl necklace she wore for New Years. Entering the Great Hall for breakfast Hermione got wolf-whistles and catcalls from the Slytherins and dark looks from the other tables. She sat down next to Pansy and helped herself to some pancakes.

"Has the post been yet?" She asked.

Pansy looked her up and down. "Not yet. Trying to get someone's attention this morning Hermione?"

Hermione grinned. "A little obvious?"

"Too right! But you do look stunning." Pansy eyed her outfit enviously. "You'll have to show me how to transfigure better, my clothes are plain next to yours."

"Nonsense! You haven't had muggle magazines to skim through like I have, Lavender and Parvati were good for something."

The morning owls swooped in and Hermione looked up eagerly. Her monthly letter from her parents was due, she hadn't heard from them since she'd replied at Christmas, telling them how she'd fallen out with all her friends. Two letters were dropped in her lap, but Hermione zeroed in on the one with her mums handwriting on the envelope. It even had a muggle stamp on it, and Hermione smiled at her mum's idiosyncrasies.

_Dear Hermione,_

_We're not sure quite what to think little one, you've been friends with Ronald and Harry for so long. Last time the secret keeper came Professor Dumbledore came as well and filled us in on your behaviour, and your father and I were concerned. Throwing away all your friends and responsibilities to your world because of some silly witches centuries ago! I must confess it confused us no end. Especially as this 'dark lord' is so difficult to beat and you're right in the middle of it all. Surely you're in no position to back out? _

_Well after that visit we were hurt and scared for you, but then that rather peculiar man Professor Snape came to see us, just last week._

Hermione frowned. Severus hadn't said he'd been to see her parents, and last week…must have been either just before their break-up or just after. Hermione figured it was before, when he'd disappeared for a few days before New Years Eve. And he'd called in Shadows business. Pah.

_He told us a great deal Mr Dumbledore hadn't. He painted you more as a conscientious objector than a deserter, which comforted us somewhat. He seemed impressed with your decision, calling it mature and suchlike, and told us about this potion he's working on with you. So it's good to know you're still fighting the 'dark lord' in some form, he is the reason we can't see you after all! He also told us you were moving house, something you hadn't mentioned. I suppose if you weren't happy in Gryffindor it's the best thing for you to do. He said you were moving to Slytherin, his own house, as you had new friends there. He seemed to be a very earnest young man but a bit intimidating. Do tell Mr Dumbledore if he gets too demanding, you must concentrate on your Exams after all. Say hello to your new friends for us, and we love you very much._

_Love Mum and Dad._

Hermione sighed and reached for the second letter.

_Miss Granger,_

_I have identified times that we both have free for work on the potion and on some of the new skills you will need to develop given the events of last night. Meet me after dinner in my classroom and we will begin work."_

_Professor Snape._

Severus was sat up at the teacher's table eating his breakfast, determinedly ignoring Hermione looking so alluring. Last night had been interesting. Hermione had said he had her allegiance, under Veritaserum of all things. He closed his eyes at the bubble of emotion the memory released. How was he supposed to feel after something like that? Especially as he was trying to distance himself from her.

"Are you alright Professor Snape?"

"Fine." He snapped at Madame Pomfrey.

The post arrived and for once he hoped he had some letters, it would be a welcome distraction. To his surprise he received several.

_Severus,_

_Hermione is the same age as Draco, but I'm going to hold off judgement for now. But if you hurt her you'll need to sleep with one eye open! _

_Cissy_

_Severus,_

_Cissy will have your head; she's taken quite a shine to Hermione. The daughter we never had I suppose. But there we are. I'm more interested in the way you were treating her yesterday, have you had a spat already? Get in touch._

_Lucius_

_Sev,_

"_My allegiance is to the Shadows, to Severus Snape and to myself. I do not know in what order." Hahahahaha. Someone's got an admirer! She's a stunner mate, you're one lucky guy. How'd the hell you bag that one? She's a student as well, you dog. I'm gonna floo in later and catch up, I'm off duty for the next little while. See ya soon._

_Evan_

Severus groaned and held his head in his hands, some distraction. And that was the second time he'd been called a dog. Pah. He was vaguely aware of the other teacher's looking at him with concern or amusement but he ignored them. This was getting ridiculous. Hermione was harder to shake than a house elf. Why was it that he, the one trying to do the right thing, was getting so much more grief for it?

Hermione passed Saturday by wandering the halls with Draco on heads duty, taking as many points as they thought they could get away with. When he left for quidditch practice she sat and did some homework with Pansy, learning how proficient the other girl was at potions and charms.

"I want to be a healer." Said Pansy. "How about you? I bet you've got something amazing all planned out with your grades."

Hermione frowned. "You know," She said, "I haven't got anything lined up. I've never planned past my N.E.W.T's, I thought I'd be fighting alongside Harry and Ron and that would be that."

Pansy wrinkled her nose.

"Yeah." Chuckled Hermione. "Who'd have thought?"

The two girls also spent some time discussing pranks for the future as the feathers had worked so well. Plus it was best to have some ideas ready in case an opportunity presented itself unexpectedly. By the time the dinner bell sounded they were in hysterics as the suggestions got wilder and wilder. Hermione felt that although he wasn't ignoring her, he was still backing away. Nothing but a total reversal in his behaviour would do. Blaise and Draco spent dinner discussing the Quidditch cup, and Hermione dared Pansy to ask Lavender Brown to borrow a muggle fashion magazine. While she was sitting alone waiting for her to return Severus came up behind her.

"If you're ready, I'd like to begin now."

Hermione nodded her assent and put down her knife and fork. She stood and followed him out of the hall, trying to avoid tripping on his billowing robes. With a sudden mental smack Hermione changed track and actively tried to tread on his robes. Just as they were walking out of the doors she managed it and he momentarily lost his footing, catching hold of the door to keep from falling backwards. He turned and glared at her.

"Oops." She said merrily, walking around him so he had to follow her.

She made her way down to the dungeons, walking quickly so he would remain behind her, she wanted to get to his classroom first so she could go straight into the secret study and on into his living room. What would he do, chuck her out? As if. She pushed open the classroom door and saw he had notes spread out over a couple of desks. Grinning, she levitated them and had them float behind her. She opened the door to the secret room, relieved he hadn't thought to change the way it could be entered. She was aware of him behind her but didn't speak. If he thought she would stop in here he was mistaken. She pushed on into his living room, collapsing into a sofa and bringing the hovering notes down into her lap. Still not looking at him, she began to read.

"Miss Granger."

She ignored him, turning to the next piece of parchment.

"Miss Granger." He repeated, sounding frustrated.

Smirking she made a great show of lifting her legs and using his coffee table as a footrest, mindful of how her short skirt rode up on her thighs.

"Hermione." He said, now sounding defeated.

She raised her head, pretending it was the first time she had heard him.

"Yes Severus?"

He shook his head. "Never mind." He sat down in his large armchair and stared at her.

Hermione ignored his gaze and continued to catch up on the notes, reacquainting herself with the project after a weeks break. After a few minutes Severus cleared his throat.

"We're going to Grambleton again tonight."

Hermione looked up in surprise. "So soon?"

"Yes. Tom wants to discuss you training with you."

"Alright then, lets go." Hermione stood.

"We'll apparate from here, Dumbledore doesn't know we're going tonight."

"You mean he did yesterday?"

"We were going to meet a shady contact of mine for a rare ingredient."

"You could have told me, this is meant to be an equal partnership project."

"I didn't see the need. It is not your place to question, as my student…"

"That's enough. Just stop talking." She said shortly. Hermione took a hold of his robes. "Lets just go."

As she felt the irresistible tug of apparation one of her and Pansy's plans popped into her head, and she grinned mischievously. He'd pay for trying the old student/teacher argument again.

They walked to Riddles in silence, Severus feeling slightly vulnerable for a reason he couldn't pin down. Grambleton was safe from the order, Dumbledore couldn't detect apparation in or out of Hogwarts, it wasn't supposed to be possible after all and meetings with Tom were nothing like death eater meetings, no threat of random unforgivables. All the same, something was off. He glanced down at Hermione to see if she was sensing anything, but she looked perfectly happy. He frowned, more happy than he would expect after their words back at Hogwarts.

"Are you alright? I was a bit dismissive of your participation in the project earlier."

"It's fine, I am just your student after all. Can't expect you to have time to do me any common courtesies can we?"

_Ok…_he thought. _So she's still angry, that sarcasm is painful. So where's the source of this discomfort?_

Hermione bowed her head and smirked. His spy spidey-senses were tingling because of her ill-hidden prank plan screaming at the top of her mind. But he hadn't figured it out yet. Hah.

They reached the bungalow and Hermione made a beeline for the small patch of marijuana that grew next to the pond, spotting the perfect diversion delivering a parcel to Tom's front step.

"Mr Snape."

Severus sighed.

"Hello Mrs McGrady."

Hermione made a great show of picking weed and putting it into a plastic bag.

"I've just dropped off a small stew, just the thing for these January evenings. Isn't that new girl a little young for your kind of thing?"

Hermione raised her head and raised her voice so it would carry.

"No worries lady, I dropped outta school and all that so I'm good to go! I'm just shooting the breeze until something better comes along, you get me?"

Mrs McGrady sniffed and took Snape by the elbow back into the lane. Hermione chuckled as she heard his getting a little chat about taking advantage of young girls. Then she groaned. That was hardly a helpful argument for him to be hearing. Sighing she took her wand, making sure the muggle couldn't see what she was doing, and muttered a number of charms at the front door of the house. Mrs McGrady trying to protect her honour couldn't be helped, she was just the diversion she'd needed, and Severus thought she was busy with the weed. Finished with her incantations Hermione stood and brushed off her skirt.

"Oi Snape, you coming or what?"

Severus' head appeared around the side of a hedge. "I'll be a minute Hermione, you go in."

"No it's fine, I'll wait."

A moment later Severus returned to the garden, Mrs McGrady hurrying off down the lane looking angry.

"What did you say to her?"

"I pointed out it was no business of hers what women I spent my time with, and isn't she old enough to remember when girls got married at twelve. That sent her off in a huff."

"Thanks, I feel like much less of a little slut hanging around with older men." She grinned cheekily.

"Don't tell me people have called you that?"

Hermione shrugged. "Well not to my face, but lets face it. I spent my Christmas holidays holed up with you in a small room with a bed, which we soundproofed every day. If that's not all over school by now Lavender and Parvati have officially lost their touch. And I've been dressing a little more provocatively this term, after that."

Severus looked deep in thought. "I had no idea it might be seen in that light. Has it effected you in any way?"

"Effect me? Pah. Water off a ducks back. Just because they're jealous."

Severus started. "What?"

"What?"

"Jealous?"

"Well sure. You got the tall dark and mysterious thing going on."

"I do?"

"Severus, I'm not just into you for your brain, as impressive as it is. It's like I said to Draco, you've been hot for a while."

Severus actually looked speechless.

"Oh come on, you must have noticed that around the time girls started turning say, 14, and started to get crushes, there were more accidents from them in the classroom? More stammering? I's dotted with hearts that sort of thing?"

"I, uh…"

"Exactly. So shut up."

Hermione opened the front door. "After you."

In shock, Severus didn't wonder at the huge grin on Hermione's face as he went in.

Hermione followed Severus in and sat down next to him in the room where they met Tom. She shifted as the spell began to work on her, and started up a conversation to distract him so he wouldn't notice its effects on him.

"So how come we didn't have to do the question and answer thing at the front door this evening?"

"Didn't need to, you've got your mark now. We use that on formal occasions and when we want to impress, Lucius likes to do it. He's got an eye for glamour."

"Oh right." Hermione grimaced as her clothes became rather tight around her chest. "Um, is there anything we can talk about Shadows wise before Tom gets here?"

"Of course. I was going to save this for the walk back to you wouldn't have a chance to question me at length but I can speak now. We want you to approach Dobby the house elf. We think that getting the elves on our side will be a great success, especially as it looks as if war is on the horizon. Our hopes for a gradual peaceful change in culture is slipping away, and we don't have as many allies as Dumbledore because we're so secretive."

"Do you think the elves will be able to be secretive? If we offer them the freedom they deserve, they have no obligation."

"No more than a man does when he takes an oath. They'll be loyal if they choose to join; I think setting up an introduction with Hapsad is the best way to proceed. Maybe butter Dobby up by dressing it as the chairman of S.A.D canvassing for new recruits. Hapsad will introduce the Shadows to him in much the same, slow, way as I did with you. Coming from one of his own kind, it may go down more easily."

Severus looked up at her about to continue speaking but his eyes went wide instead at the sight of her.

"What are you doing?"

"What?"

He was confused now, but Hermione could sense his anger coming. And it was the 'right' sort of anger, the type to push him, but not to make him hate her.

"You are wearing my teaching robes." He said angrily.

"Well fairs fair. You're wearing my school robes."

"What." Severus jumped up and looked down at himself, and sure enough he was wearing a robe with the Slytherin crest, a white school shirt and a Slytherin house tie.

"Just be thankful I'm not in Gryffindor anymore." Said Hermione blithely.

"How dare…"

"Evening you two." Riddle interrupted Severus mid sentence. "We will begin now, sorry to keep you waiting."

He sat down in his armchair that Draco had bought him from Ikea and settled back into the cushions. He completely ignored Severus fuming and had a quiet work with Hapsad about getting them some refreshments.

"Swap our clothes back." Said Severus quietly.

"No."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'm dressed as a teacher am I not? Well I'm teaching you a lesson. Wearing a school uniform is not making you any less of an adult is it? It's kinky sure, but its not suddenly making you any younger, physically, emotionally or intellectually. In the same way, I am not a child just because I wear a school uniform, it doesn't make me any less of an adult, capable of making my own decisions."

"We are at a Shadow meeting, you will undo this right now."

"What are you going to do Mr Snape? Don't push me, or Professor Granger might get nasty." She grinned evilly.

At that moment Riddle coughed and their attention was back with him, Severus' objection set to one side for now.

"Hermione. It iss good to see you, your tattoo is not caussing you any pain I trust?"

"It was still a bit sensitive this morning, but I'm totally fine now."

"Good good. In that case may we move on? Time is pressing and I have much to do."

"Of course."

"Now you are a Shadow you will need to be trained, Hogwartss will not sufficiently train you for what may happen in the future. Harry is receiving extra lessons of coursse, but none of the other members of the D.A are. Here, everyone is trained to as ssimilar a level as we can, taking into consideration natural inclinationss for certain subjects, like Severus' for potions for example."

Hermione nodded eagerly.

"She is always ready to learn more Tom." Said Severus mockingly.

"And yet you are the one in the sschool uniform." Said Riddle sharply. "I had noticed."

Severus glowered at Hermione who smirked.

"Firstly, you will need to get fit. I will not have operatives fighting for their lives without a decent level of strength and dexterity. You may be slim, but you have no muscles. There is a basic training programme you can adapt to your ability and needs."

Hermione figured that was how Severus was able to lift Draco effortlessly the first time she had come to Grambleton and he'd passed out from smoking too much.

"Secondly you will spend time on duelling practise. You will learn new hexes, new charms, new defensive spells and how to implement them in a battle situation."

"That's welcome, the D.A was always fettered by the fact that if something went wrong, we'd have to tell Pomfrey."

Severus huffed. "Dratted woman." He muttered. Hermione ignored him.

"Lastly you will learn the three unforgivables, I'm told you know how to Obliviate so we can skip the unofficial forth one."

Riddle gave her a searching look when she didn't react to learning unforgivables.

"Are you prepared to learn and use these things? I'm told you were once vehemently opposed to them."

"The ways necessitate the means Tom, you don't need to worry about me on that account. Unforgivables just need to be rationed more than other hexes."

"Very well, that is all. Though would you mind having a word with Hapsad Hermione? She's asked to see you."

"Of course, where is she?"

"Sixth door on the right."

"Thanks."

Hermione rose and walked towards the door, amused to find her robes billowed out behind her. _What am I, channelling him or something? Weird._

Severus also stood but was detained with a single word from Tom.

"Sit."

Hermione hurried out, not wanting to be around if Severus was about to be told off. _In a school uniform as well, oh Merlin that's funny._ Still chuckling Hermione found the sixth door on the right and let herself in. It was some sort of laundry room, and Hapsad was supervising several tubs of clothes which were cleaning themselves.

"Miss Hermione, welcome." Hapsad drew her up a chair and Hermione sat down curiously.

"Did you want to see me about Dobby?"

"Partly, we will start with that. I just want to discuss the message you'll be giving him. I want you to tell him you've met a house elf who is interested in his arguments, having been introduced to them by you a while back with S.P.E.W. I can't get in touch by correspondence as I have no access to an owl, but I can return letters if he sends an owl to me. I request a meeting with him."

"Well that should be easy enough. But what about when we explain the truth? He may feel cheated when he learns you aren't some helpless house elf."

"But it's the truth, I heard about S.P.E.W before S.A.D. and I really don't have an owl, so that's not a lie either."

"Oh, well that's alright then. You're not changing you name or anything right?"

"No, I don't see the need. House elves don't know who I am, my mother was on the elf lists, but when I was born I wasn't entered as I'd be serving Tom."

"Right. Well what was the other thing?"

"Severus."

Hermione blinked. "Oh?"

"Oh don't play innocent, I was there when you were under Veritaserum remember?"

"Ah, yeah."

"I just thought you'd like to know what peoples reactions to that were, you were out of it so to speak."

Hermione leant forward eagerly.

"Well Percy was funny, all righteous splutter you know? Cissy was a it shocked, but hid a smile under her hand so I don't think she disapproved."

"But I'm the same age as her son, doesn't that bother her or Lucius at all?"

"Not really. You have to remember wizards live a lot longer than muggles; an age gap like yours isn't that unusual, what's different is that you met each while you are so young. If you were say, fifty and twenty five no one would bat an eyelid. But being roughly half is age when you're only what, eighteen or nineteen? That may raise a few eyebrows among prudes. Especially as its him."

"Yeah I guess that's a good point. I'm still a teenager."

"Evan was the funniest. Once you were recovering, he rounded on Severus and was like slapping him on the back and everything happy for him. He seems to think you've got your work cut out for you, and kept dropping innuendo into his conversation from then on."

Hermione flushed a bit at that. "Hardly. At the moment I'm working on getting him back! He's got it into his head he can't be with me until its 'proper', its pretty damn frustrating Hapsad."

"Yeah, he seemed more surly than usual. He didn't say you weren't together though."

"Really? Well that's something I suppose."

There was a sharp knock on the door and the two women jumped. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"That's probably Mr Grouchy. I'll pass on the message to Dobby and I'll be in touch ok?"

"Goodbye Hermione."

Hermione stood and went out into the hallway. Severus was out there, arms crossed with a murderous look on his face.

"Ready to go?" She asked.

He scowled and pushed her so she was walking in front of him. The walk down the hall became a very long one, Hermione acutely aware of his eyes on the back of her neck. She went out through the front door gladly, and the tight shirt and robes her wore disappeared to be replaced by her boots, miniskirt and top. By her side, Severus' school uniform morphed back into his teaching robes.

"I don't know how you can bear to wear them the whole time, they're terribly restrictive."

Severus stormed off down the garden path and Hermione jogged to keep up.

"Just be glad I'm smart enough to have customised the spell, or you'd have been sat there chatting with Tom wearing a low cut top and a skirt that would really show off your legs."

Severus stopped and whirled around.

"Do you honestly think we were having a nice little chat, you heard the tone in which he was speaking with me."

"Maybe seeing you in uniform made him go all disciplinarian."

"You, you are the most disrespectful, devious, rude, unthinking and manipulative woman I have ever come across."

"Yes?"

Severus snorted. "Forget it, just…forget it."

"Hang on." Hermione stood on his robes before he walked off, and he scowled at her.

"Oh calm down, my boots aren't that dirty. What were you talking about? If it was me who got you into trouble I am sorry, it was only meant to be a teaching aid between us."

"If you must know, he was questioning my involvement with you. Wanted to make sure that you would continue with the Shadows even if we broke up, that being with me wasn't the reason you joined. So I told him that we were no longer 'together' if we ever had been. End of story."

Hermione thought for a moment. "I see."

"Yes you do. Now get off my robes," He yanked them and she hopped off to keep from falling, "and we will return to Hogwarts, you're training will start on Monday, I suggest you spend tomorrow with you friends, you won't have many free evenings from now on."


	6. House elves and hardship

Hermione did try to spend Sunday with her friends, but it wasn't much fun for her. The rest of them had tons of work to do, work she usually did in lessons when she'd done the days assignment. To her annoyance they kept questioning her, which began general chats about the War. After a morning of this Hermione couldn't take anymore. She may not be the incredibly uptight perfect prefect anymore, but sitting and watching her friends not do their homework and be the cause of the slacking was too much for her.

"I'm off." She declared abruptly, and gathered her things.

"What? Where are you going?" Asked Draco.

"To speak with someone about something."

"Cryptic."

"I can't tell you more, it's shadow stuff. See you later."

"Bye." Said Pansy, but she was already out the door.

Hermione strode down to the kitchens, taking points of a hapless Ravenclaw who was smoking behind the statue of Irmatrude the Unfortunate. It was time for her chat with Dobby.

She tickled the pear and entered the kitchens, immediately assailed on all sides by dozens of elves all desperate to serve her in any way possible.

"I'd like to speak to Mr Dobby please."

Most of the elves wandered off, leaving Dobby to come up to her.

"I need to speak to you about S.A.D Dobby, can you spare a few minutes?"

"Yes Miss Hermione, Dobby surely can."

He took her hand and led her into the corner of the kitchens, the noise of food preparation for several hundred enough to drown out their conversation.

"Firstly I want to congratulate you Dobby, you've taken my dreams of S.P.E.W and improved upon them a hundredfold, I'd love to join S.A.D if I'm allowed."

"Of course!" Dobby took off one of his hats and a small bag fell out. He fished around in it for a moment and pulled out a small badge. It was white with S.A.D written on it in the elf's childish handwriting in bright rainbow colours.

"Actually Dobby, can I have two? You see I've made friends with another elf called Hapsad. She was interested in S.P.E.W for the short period it was active, and is dying to meet you to discuss S.A.D's arguments."

Dobby's ears perked right up and he beamed a toothy smile. "That is wonderful news to Dobby! But why is Miss Hermione not telling Hapsad Dobby's address?"

"She doesn't have access to an owl, so wasn't able to start corresponding with you. But if you send her a letter, she can reply on the back of the parchment."

Dobby nodded and whistled shrilly a short tune Hermione vaguely recognised. A small owl bobbed into the room and sat on Dobby's shoulder. Hermione was reminded of a parrot on a pirate. Dobby pulled a piece of parchment and a quill from somewhere in his many layers of clothes and frowned in concentration as he wrote a short note, his tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth. Finished he shook it dry and put it in an envelope with one of the S.A.D badges. He fastened it to the owl's leg and it zoomed off, making happy hooting noises.

"I am thinking to invite Miss Hapsad to Hogwarts very soon, I is bringing on S.A.D very muchly but support out of Hoggywarts is slow."

"How many supporters do you have in Hogwarts Dobby? Last I heard you were the only one interested in equality."

"Slow and steadiness Miss Hermione, many elves now wanting holidays. Just to visit families now, but soon maybe beaches." Dobby bit one of his scarves to contain his excitement. "There is many elves, and also too Master Firenze and Master Hagrid and you Miss."

"That's wonderful Dobby! Really great news. You know if there's anything I can do to help I will right?"

"Well then is Dobby is not asking too much, could Hermione maybe do a talk? I is been reading muggle things, and I is knowing that you have more experience about emancipation than elves. And you are a human that my friends don't mind listening to and taking advice from. You is on our side."

Hermione was surprised to hear Dobby come out with something so far outside his usual vocabulary, and was impressed with how far he'd come.

"I would be honoured Dobby, I am definitely on your side. Maybe some time next week? I'm very busy at the moment so I'm not sure when I'll be able to fit it in."

"Dobby understands, whenever suits Miss Hermione is fine."

Hermione came away from her talk with Dobby feeling very optimistic about the Shadows chances of getting the elves on side. They may not be able to convince any humans to join them, but the power of the elves would be such an advantage. With that thought, her mind started to think it over. Just how powerful were house elves, Hermione knew from Harry they could propel a grown man down a corridor, and their powers of healing were strong to deal with the punishments they constantly had to endure. But what was the full extent of their abilities?

With a wearied sigh she realised she now had another project on her plate, as if the potion for the Shadows, her training, her homework and her head girl duties weren't enough. Changing direction from her common room, she walked off instead towards Severus secret room. It had more…interesting texts than the school library.

Several hours later and all that could be seen of Hermione was the top of her head just appearing over the top of the piles of books on the desk in front of her. Occasionally an excited squeak would break the silence, but otherwise she was completely engrossed in her research.

That was how Severus found her when she had failed to turn up to dinner and Draco had come to him. Guessing where she was he had entered his secret study to find her hunched over one of his desks. He rolled his eyes and shifted a huge stack of books to one side to reveal her scribbling away on a piece of parchment, her hands and face splattered with ink from where she'd waved her quill around reaching for new books. He reached out and yanked the quill out of her hand.

She looked up angrily. "Hey."

"Miss Granger, you missed dinner and it is nearing midnight. Homework comes second to your health."

"This isn't homework Severus, this is fascinating! I don't think even Tom knows just how powerful the elves are, he hasn't got access to half these books."

She took her quill back off of him. "I need to get all this down."

"It is midnight, students are not meant to be out of bed."

"It's fine, I haven't been to bed yet. Besides, I'm me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Hermione smiled as she recognised how they were slipping back into the playful banter they used to indulge in when they were on the verge of a relationship. She didn't want to draw his attention to it, so didn't push her luck and start flirting.

"It means I'm special."

"You're certainly that, but not that special that you can flout school rules."

"Oh please, I'll flout them all I like. For starters I'm head girl, which brings many perks. Then I'm a year or more older than everyone else, so that makes me special too. I'm also a shadow, and your teachers pet. So you'll let me get away with anything, including using your private, secret slytheriny study."

"Is that so."

"Yep. You yourself said it, I'm not like the other dunderheads round here."

"As true as that is, I have no intention of letting you stay in here all night, working yourself into the ground. You will return to your rooms now."

"No."

"Hermione you will do as I say."

"Pfft. Make me." Hermione bent back over her notes but before she could put quill to parchment she shrieked as her world turned upside down. Severus had picked her up and was carrying her over his shoulder out of his study.

"Put me down!"

"No."

"This isn't gentlemanly, put me down this instant."

"Pfft. Make me."

Hermione pretended to fume as he walked her out of the dungeons but was actually basking in her victory. He may be chucking her out, which was annoying as her research into house elves actually was fascinating, but he was also definitely not treating her like any old student. He was carrying her up to her rooms; under different circumstances this would have been pretty hot.

Outside the entrance to the heads apartment he dropped her to the floor and she righted herself, scowling at him.

"Go to bed." He said.

"Care to join me?" She shot back angrily.

"I beg your pardon?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "You just carried me up several flights of stairs. If anyone saw you they'd assume that's where you were planning to end up."

Severus' face darkened. "Nonsense."

"Oh? Well I suppose I should forget all about you groping my ass on the way up here then."

"I did no such thing, you're being ridiculous." His voice was rising in his anger, and she carried on, encouraged.

"Whatever Severus, you just can't help yourself." She smirked. "A certain lack of self-control."

Severus changed suddenly. Hermione had expected an increase in anger, perhaps a shouting match. What she hadn't foreseen was his eyes gaining a gleam, and a seductive smile coming over him.

"A lack of control?" He said, his voice dropping to a silky murmur.

Hermione nodded. "Yep."

Severus walked towards her. Hermione suddenly realised she had backed up against the wall and swallowed.

"I'll have you know," he continued in the same maddeningly sexy voice, "that I have been displaying the utmost example of self-control recently."

Hermione choked. "Is that so?"

"Indeed." He was right up against her now. " I've stopped myself speaking to you, striking you…" He paused and Hermione spoke.

"So I only anger you Severus?"

"I wasn't finished." He whispered. "I've had to stop myself doing this as well."

He was on her then, hands on her waist pulling her up close to him, bodies touching separated only by the layers of clothing they wore. Hermione sucked in a breath at the contact and gasped as he kissed her. This was unexpected, she had thought to be trying to get through to him for weeks yet, but his ministrations were far from unwelcome.

She reached up and hung her arms around his neck, rubbing up against him recklessly, not caring how desperate she was for his touch. She moaned as he parted her lips and deepened the kiss, kissing her with an intensity she returned in kind. Having him kissing her, touching and holding her tight, this was where she wanted to be, here and nowhere else. When Blaise opened the portrait hole and tripped over at the sight of the two of them kissing so passionately Hermione groaned at the unfairness of the universe.

"I, I…"Stuttered Blaise.

"Get out of here Zambini, or it'll be 50 points from Slytherin so help me God." Snarled Severus.

"I'm sorry Professor I'll…"

"NOW boy, Hermione is none of your concern understand?" Hermione had to stifle a whimper of pleasure at his possessiveness, thoroughly turned on by being held so tightly by him. It was clear to her Severus had seen her with Blaise at the lake when she had kissed his cheek, just as she had hoped when she'd led him to the rocks she knew he would see through his dungeon window. Having her plan work was incredibly attractive.

Blaise didn't need to be told again and scampered down the stairs away from the couple. Severus sighed and rested his forehead on Hermione's.

"Why are you making this so hard Hermione? I shouldn't be here, doing this."

Hermione sighed as she realised the passionate moment was gone, and he was back to self-recrimination, trying to freeze her out.

"I'm making it hard to force you to deal with us Severus. I'm not going anywhere, and I know that even when I graduate you'll still try and push me away. I don't want to waste any time with you."

"I'd be taking advantage of you Hermione, you deserve someone your own age you can experience the world with."

"You can argue that, but I'm in love with you. So you can disagree with my point of view all you like, but you'll be wrong every time. If we have love, nothing else matters. I'll experience the world with you. And I won't let you shy away from me."

Severus stood straight and let her go, moving off stiffly and gong to the head of the stairs, and then pausing, he looked back at her.

"How can you learn what love is from me?"

He turned and walked slowly down the stairs, looking like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Hermione watched him go and then went to bed.

**At least I'm getting through to him, **she thought sleepily. **He can't keep ignoring me. I've laid down the law; he knows I won't give up on him. Sooner or later, he'll accept what we have and stop fighting it. Hopefully it's sooner rather than later…**


	7. Fight

Another day another dollar… 

Hermione paused in her task, wondering if there was an English equivalent of the American saying. Though it wasn't like she was being paid for her work anyway. Shrugging she dipped her quill in ink and filled in another little box. She had made herself a new school timetable. All her lessons were the same, but she'd added more space for her various new extra-curricular activities. A note from Severus had been dropped in her lap Monday morning detailing when he'd be instructing her on all her new responsibilities, and in true Hermione fashion she'd spent that evening writing it up and getting herself organised. She had sighed to see she'd be expected to work every day, but he'd told her to expect that. The amount of physical fitness she had to do was also rubbish.

Mondays was hexes and offensive charms,

Tuesdays was defensive charms,

Wednesdays was her potions project,

Thursdays was her time to catch up on her homework and revise for her N.E.W.T's, Hermione had been ready to thank Severus for giving her that time, right before she remembered that Thursday was the day she only had one timetabled lesson, Charms, so she wasn't really being given time off at all.

Fridays was battle training, Merlin only knew how he would set that lesson up.

Saturday was fitness training all day, a concept that made her wince;

and Sunday… well Sunday was unforgivables.

Filling in the final box she lent back and glanced at the clock. It was only about six, so she might be expected to go to her lesson on hexes, but Severus had not made it clear whether lessons started that very day or the next with defensive charms. She sighed and packed away her notes. She'd go and see him; giving him even a day without having her in his face was a wasted day as far as she was concerned.

Severus was in his classroom debating whether to start moving the desks to the edges of the room. He hadn't told Hermione to come for her extra lesson today, but had later realised she would probably see that as an invitation to come whether he expected her or not. Just as he was contemplating Hermione sauntered into the room, followed closely by Draco. Severus rolled his eyes and flicked his wand, moving the chairs and desks.

"Hope you don't mind Sev." Said Draco. "I saw Herms as she was coming down here and I figured it couldn't hurt for me to sit in and get a head start on my shadow training, seeing as your doing it anyway."

Severus looked over to Hermione for confirmation and she shrugged.

"He wants to help." She said simply.

"Fine, it'll save me time in the long run I suppose. Parkinson and Zambini can learn as a pair too. It's for the best, can't have Draco going easy on Miss Parkinson can we? No room for compassion in this subject. But you must remember Draco that you are too young, so when I tell you to sit out you will."

"You hear that Herms?" Asked Draco.

"Oh yeah." Replied Hermione.

Severus pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill. "We'll start by you taking it turns to perform all the offensive spells, hexes and charms you already know so I can determine the breadth of your knowledge and the level of your ability. Any questions?"

Both of them shook their heads. "I'll go first Draco, as I'm meant to be here."

Draco paled, almost unnoticeably, but nodded in agreement. "Fine."

Hermione got out her wand and started with her first hex. "Sectumsempra" Draco fell to the floor, gashes appearing on his exposed skin. Hermione watched out of the corner of her eye for Severus' reaction to her using a spell he invented. Outwardly there was no reaction, which irked her, he just noted down the name of the hex and a comment. He then waved his wand in Draco's general direction reversing her spells effects. 

"Next." He said.

Hermione fired off another and another, Severus making notes and Draco getting achy despite Severus reversing everything. Hermione worked her way through all the offensive spells she'd learnt as a member of the D.A. and the ones she'd tracked down and taught herself off her own back over the years, which made an impressive and extensive list, one that Severus had to get another piece of parchment to write them all down on.

An hour later Hermione put her wand in her pocket and wiped the sweat off her forehead. "I'm done." She said smugly.

"Extremely impressive, well done." Said Severus.

Draco sat down where he was on the dungeon floor as Severus countered her final hex, groaning quietly. Severus finished his final note and went over to a cupboard, taking out a vial of pepper-up potion for Draco, who gulped it down gladly, steam rising swiftly from his ears.

"Where did you learn all that stuff?" He asked.

"She learnt it at an illegal defence club that she organised last year." Said Severus. "At least, I was told it was defensive, after that display I'm not so sure."

"The D.A. was a defensive organisation...mostly."

"D.A?" Asked Draco.

"Dumbledore's Army." She grimaced. "The name of the group you found under Umbridge remember? Anyway, we did teach and learn mostly defensive stuff, a little of the less harmful offensive spells too. But I persuaded Harry to do a bit more offensive magic for the older years. We gathered earlier so the younger ones wouldn't get suspicious. I didn't feel it was appropriate for them to learn too much. But Harry couldn't teach us much, however impressive his patronus had been. I got bored. So I did my own research and practised alone."

"Are you ever satisfied with what you know?"

"Not really, always room to improve."

"Hey, do you fancy setting up some kind of similar thing for Slytherin students? Like the D.A. but without the stupid name."

"Not a chance! Have you seen my evening timetable? I am way too busy, enough worthy causes to keep me going thanks."

"Draco." Interrupted Severus. "You've recovered if your colouring is anything to go by. It's your turn."

Draco and Hermione stood and Draco took his turn, repeating many of the same spells Hermione had covered, but also several that were new to her. Hermione felt awful by the end of it, annoyed at herself for not being able to pay proper attention and forgetting many of the spells that she'd not heard before. His session didn't last half as long as hers, but all his hexes were skilfully administered. Once Hermione had been peppered-up she realised that Draco had been looking a tad put out since he had finished.

"What's wrong Draco?" Asked Severus. Hermione looked up sharply, she hadn't realised he had noticed too.

"It just sucks a bit that she knows more than me, even though I've come from a long line of shadows."

"Draco, your father has protected you that's all. Hermione was plunged into the deep end with her friendship with Potter. She has been in near constant danger since her first year and she had to grow up fast. Especially as she's a muggle."

"Will you stop psychoanalysing me please? I've learnt what I've had to that's for sure, but I also learnt it because I wanted to. From my point of view as a very smart mudblood I was an obvious target of Voldemort, well I say Voldemort but you know who I mean. Plus wanting to prove myself as a competent witch in the face of the racism I was getting didn't help. It's just paying off now, that's all."

Severus went over to the shelves and opened up the space into his secret study. "In here please, both of you."

Draco shrugged. "I guess I just have to catch up that's all. And I didn't call you mudblood that much."

"Oh you so did."

"I never, you were the one…"

While the two of them bickered Severus went over his notes and looked over his bookshelves in his secret study, finding what he was looking for he stuck his head back out, calling to them. "In here please, both of you."

Hermione and Draco wandered over, still arguing over the past.

"And that time you punched me, that was unprovoked."

"Oh please, you were crowing over Buckbeaks imminent execution."

"That miserable creature? He caused me an injury!"

"Only because you provoked him, Hagrid warned us he was a proud creature."

"That oaf couldn't teach. He ignored the curriculum and the books were dangerous. Why are you sticking up for him anyway? He's Dumbledore's lackey and that's all he's good for. Did you know he never even graduated?"

"That's enough, both of you. Your both just snappish because the negative energy necessary to conjure all of those dark spells, its at the forefront of your minds. So shut up."

Severus placed a pile of books on a desk in front of them. "If you want to join in on the good bit Draco, you've got to do your homework too. These are some basic texts according to your levels. I'm guessing from some of the spells you performed Hermione that you've read 'The Beginners Guide to Back-Street Duelling' and the 'Wronged Witches Road to Retribution'?"

"That's right."

"In that case you've almost completely covered the material in the first stage, so I want you to read through Stage ones texts, learning anything you've missed and revising ones you've done. Draco, you've done alright too, but you have much more to do."

He showed him a couple of textbooks he'd taken out specially. "When Hermione is working on her project and fitness training, you will be covering muggle sciences, biology, chemistry and physics. Its going up as far as the muggle G.C.S.E qualification, if you want to go further we can discuss that later. I trust your school project isn't that difficult?"

"Course not. What's the point in making life difficult for myself? It sounds impressive but I'm finished already."

"Good, that'll clear up space on your timetable. Hermione will fill you in on what we do each evening."

"Okay."

"Hermione and I need to discuss the potion for a few minutes Draco, so I'll take you out."

Severus and Draco left the study, walking across the dungeon and Severus had a quick look out into the corridor before allowing Draco to leave.

"The coast is clear, you may go."

Draco made no move to leave however, and lent against the wall "So, Hermione did well tonight."

"Yes she did, most impressive."

"Yeah you said that. 'Extremely impressive' I think it was."

"So what of it?" Said Severus with a touch of irritability.

"I just think its sweet."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh you know, forbidden love and all that, so you express your hidden feelings by complimenting her dark magic skills."

"Draco, I will not be goaded into discussing this with you."

"Fine." Said Draco, standing straight and moving towards the dungeon door. "But if you ever need to vent your overwhelming admiration, desire, general love and dare I say it, lust for Hermione to anyone, I'm here to talk."

"Get out." Said Severus darkly, and Draco, mindful that there was always a fine line between banter and real anger with Snape, left quickly.

Severus returned to the study and Hermione could tell immediately he was in a far fouler mood than he had been when he'd left. She placed one of her new books he had given her to one side, ready to talk to him.

"What's wrong Severus?"

His head whipped round to look at her.

"That's professor Miss Granger." He turned from her and began to put various books back on shelves, ignoring her completely.

Hermione sat in thought for a while we he was busy. Draco must have said something about her, or about them both, to Severus when they'd been out the room. Spoiling Severus' friendly mood and throwing him back into grouchy teacher mode.

"So what do we need to discuss about our project?" She asked lightly. "It's not scheduled until Wednesday after all."

Severus took the project notes out of his desk. "It's not the place of the student to question the teacher." He answered curtly.

"Indeed." Said Hermione. "You've said something like that before now. The difference is when we became friends we changed our student/teacher relationship irreparably. And what happened since we became friends…well. It seems a bit pointless trying to be just student and teacher after that. Impossible even."

Severus looked up. "Draco and I are friends, but he does not forget his place."

"I've not forgotten my place." Hermione shot back. "It's you who are determined not to acknowledge that my place has changed."

"Draco is capable of keeping our friendship low key, why can't you?"

"Well I doubt that Draco is in love with you, love is harder to hide."

"Difficult, but necessary."

"Necessary towards others perhaps."

"And to ourselves."

"So you admit you feel something for me then?"

"Why deny it? But I won't act on it."

"Why?"

"I am your teacher." 

"Now we're going round in circles."

"I'd lose my job, and you any future career."

"Only if we're caught."

"Who says we won't be?"

"Me."

"You're a foolish girl if you believe so."

"I am no girl Severus."

"Spare me the technicalities Miss Granger."

"That's Hermione to you, or Herms if you prefer."

"Stop, just stop will you."

"I will not." Shouted Hermione. "This is ridiculous. We have stumbled across something here that means a lot to me, and I know means a lot to you too. I may only be young, but that doesn't mean I am unable to make my mind up about this. I think I am in love with you." She watched as a multitude of emotions flitted across his face, his struggle for control obvious to her. "I think I'm in love with you Severus." She repeated.

"A schoolgirl crush." He said with difficulty.

"How dare you." Spat Hermione. "A schoolgirl crush? Is that all you think I'm capable of?"

"You can't learn what love is from me, so it cannot be love. Logically it is therefore a crush; a schoolgirl crush on her teacher whose duty it is to not lead her on."

Hermione exploded. "You don't treat me like a student, like a child when we're away from Hogwarts, at the Burrow or the Malfoys or at Grambleton. Why do you see me so differently here? At one point you were telling me how I was no longer a girl, I was a woman. Remember that evening I spent crying in your arms? What the hell has changed?"

"At Hogwarts there are constant reminders of who we are. A relationship would be wrong, I'm just too old for you."

"So that's what it is, you're worried people will think you're a dirty old pervert."

"Yes!" He yelled. "You're in the Daily Prophet every other day as it is, when, and it is when not if, we are discovered I'll be branded some kind of paedophile. Can you understand that? An old pervert who corrupted you away from your friends into a world of black magic.

Hermione paused as he ranted, what he had envisioned was possible, a worse case scenario but possible.

"I'd be put in Azkaban for seducing and abusing a minor." He finished.

"I'm not a minor, you told me that yourself with the whole time turner thing. Legally, we're fine. Any objections as of now are merely social conventions interfering with our love. And I think I should be the judge of whether or not they matter."

Severus rose with a roar of anger and sent a pile of parchment hurtling towards her.

"Here are my proposals for the potion, get out and be ready for Wednesday."

"Oh I will be." Replied Hermione just as angrily. "I also expect you to have thought over what I've said."

She opened the door to walk out. "Merlin knows why, you're an utter bastard, but I love you. So suck it up, pull you head out of your ass and admit its mutual or so help me God I will make a scene in public. Outside these fucking halls we are equals. The sooner you forget all this student/teacher guilt crap you've got going on the better."

Speech over she left, slamming the door so hard behind her the door jam rattled and jars fell off the shelves, shattering on the stone floor. Hermione paid them no heed but stormed upstairs to her common room, gearing up to give Draco a piece of her mind for fucking everything up with whatever misplaced comment he had made.

**Authors note, **

**Sorry my posts are few and far between at the moment, I have major exams looming so fanfic's on the backburner. But I do intend to finish the story!**

**xXx**


	8. Evan Rosier

Hermione felt a little better after chewing Draco out thoroughly for meddling, and went to bed vaguely satisfied.

The next few days passed by quickly, Hermione was finding it a challenge to keep up with her schoolwork, head girl duties and extra lessons but was relishing the stretch. Severus was acting as if their argument hadn't happened, and Draco, although acting as confident as ever, didn't mention him to her once. As it was, he was helping her out with her badge selling without grumbling at all.

"It's for a good cause Slytherins." She called above the hubbub of voices.

They were in the Slytherin common room on Saturday morning and Hermione was sat behind a small table, with a collecting tin and a load of the white badges with rainbow lettering in a box beside her. She'd been let off fitness training with a curt note from Severus, explaining he'd been called away to a death eater meeting and was unavailable. This suited Hermione fine, a free day to promote S.A.D was just what she needed.

"Is it that one what that elf Dobby was on about at the feast?" Asked a fifth year.

Hermione refrained from wincing at the poor grammar and nodded cheerfully. "That's right. It's high time that the medieval attitudes towards our fellow magical races were looked at again. Who are we to enslave a whole species? Who are we to say that centaurs or mermaids don't have rights?"

"But it's always been this way. Humans are just better aren't they?"

Hermione turned towards that voice, and was met with a questioning first year. "It's true it has been his way for a very long time, but it's not right that humans are better than anyone else. It's just a matter of numbers, there are more of us around, and we've spread all over the globe monopolising this planet. It's not fair, and it's that inequality you will be supporting the end of if you buy a badge. If you wish to join S.A.D, I will give you the relevant details. I believe S.A.D is setting up a mailing list."

Draco looked at her and raised his eyebrows. "Oh yeah?"

"Yep." Well not yet, but maybe Pansy would do one when she joined…

Half an hour later and a box of badges sold, Hermione went down to the kitchens to give Dobby the good news. When she went in, she found a couple dozen elves sat around the main table, with Dobby at its head. All the other elves that were normally busy beavering away were absent.

"Miss Hermione! I'm thanking you very much for agreeing to talk to us today."

Hermione narrowed her eyes but Dobby just winked at her. The elf had obviously learnt to be devious since his slavery days…

"Its my pleasure." She answered, and sat down in a seat proffered by a young elf. "Thank you, Middy isn't it?"

The young elf's eyes shone. "Yes Miss Hermione."

Hermione took her list of S.A.D members out of her bag.

"I've sold seven sickles and 5 knuts worth of badges, the money to go towards promotion and other expenses. And S.A.D now has 12 members in Slytherin. Growth in the other houses is slow due to it being me that's been selling the badges…"

An hour later Hermione was done speaking on her theories, and explaining why house elves had to real reason to treated as slaves, explaining that having a master (something they liked) needn't mean selling themselves short. Once she was done, Dobby had her bow and she was loudly applauded by the few that were there. As the absent elves filtered back in to start making lunch she drew Dobby off to one side.

"That was sneaky Dobby."

Dobby grinned. "You is very busy Hermione, I had to be."

Hermione chuckled. "You're probably right. As it is, you've cut short your visit to see Hapsad by about an hour."

Dobby rolled his eyes. "Always something. Is we going now?"

Hermione nodded. "I don't have a portkey, but I'm hoping elf magic will get us there…"

Dobby's eyes widened. "You is you knowing we can get through the barriers of Dumbledore?"

"Dobby it's me, I research. And I know for a fact you guys have been keeping secret how powerful you are for a long time."

Dobby shrugged. "Less people know, less people feel threatened by us. Hold my hand, we will go now. You think about where we are going very hard."

Hermione took his hand and concentrated on Grambleton woods, and a moment later she saw the familiar woods around her. There had been none of the jarring sensation she had come to expect from apparating. Grinning, she jerked her head in the direction of the village.

"It's about ten minutes walk that way."

Hermione led the way, nodding to Mrs McGrady who was pottering around in a field with her terrier. Mrs McGrady didn't notice Dobby, so Hermione didn't mention him. She rapped on the door to the cottage and it swung open to reveal Evan Rosier, Severus' best friend.

"Hermione!" He said happily. "What a wonderful surprise, come in come in. And a friend! Evan Rosier at your service young elf."

He bowed low to Dobby who gravely returned his bow. "Thank you." He replied. "I is also at yours."

"Dobby is here to see Hapsad, is she around?" Asked Hermione.

"I'm here!" Shouted Hapsad, sticking her round a door down the other end of the corridor. "Welcome Dobby."

Dobby walked down the corridor and shook her hand, and the two elves disappeared into the room, which Hermione noticed had an elf sized door.

"So how are you? And how long are you stopping by?" Asked Evan. "I'm soooooo bored, so you're a godsend!"

Hermione gave him the once over, he certainly didn't look bored. His clothes had the same cavalier style to them that made him seem like such a rogue, and his eyes were sparkling under his messy hair.

"Not off on your undercover adventure then?"

He grimaced. "Nope, I finished my incredibly dangerous and extremely cool mission and am now, at a tragic loose end. And you've appeared just in time to go for a walk with me, it's a lovely day, what do you say?"

"I should probably wait around for Dobby…"

"Oh those two will be chatting for hours. Please?" His eyes went all puppy dog and Hermione smiled.

"Fine, lets go."

They left the house and Evan turned left into the village, and Hermione followed him, curious. She hadn't been into the village centre itself before.

"So…" Said Evan.

"So?" She replied.

"You and ole' Sev eh?" He gave her a rascally grin and she couldn't help but grin back.

"It's complicated."

"What isn't with the old bastard?" He laughed. "He is one messed up guy, you could do a lot better." He waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively but she could tell he was just winding her up.

"Probably." She agreed. "As it is, I'm not even sure if we're together."

"Oh?" Evan quietened down and was serious again. "What happened?"

"Pansy Parkinson calls it the Slytherin slide." She explained. "The guys get in too deep, get worried about how they're feeling and slide away. He's got it into his head I'm way too young for him."

"I see."

They'd reached the village green and he flopped down onto the grass. Hermione did likewise and watched as a group of elderly men walked past and went into the Post office.

"I'm at my wits end. I'm pushing him, I've tried pranks, shouting matches, seduction…"

Evan chuckled. "And nothing worked?"

"Nothing! He's as stubborn as a mule."

"Yeah that sounds like him." Evan sighed.

"I'm going to be straight with you Hermione, Severus has been talking to me about this whole thing between you too."

"He has?" Hermione was surprised. "He's got a confident?"

"He doesn't open up to many people, but I'm one of them. Now I'm not about to betray that trust, that would make me a crap person right?"

"Right."

"But don't give up on him. He really likes you, but this 'Slytherin slide' is a hard habit to break. I've suffered from it before now too, but I never knew the women were aware of it."

"Aware and swapping tactics."

"Right, and as uncomfortable as that makes me feel, I guess it's good. Or there wouldn't be any baby Slytherins. You've got him rattled by the way, you did something last night and he feels like shit."

"Really?" Hermione frowned. "I didn't mean to hurt him, just have him hear a few home truths."

"What did you say? He wouldn't give me details."

Hermione screwed up her face in concentration. "I said, uh. 'I think I'm in love with you' and '. "Merlin knows why, you're an utter bastard, but I love you. So suck it up, pull you head out of your ass and admit its mutual or so help me God I will make a scene in public. Outside these fucking halls we are equals. The sooner you forget all this student/teacher guilt crap you've got going on the better.'"

"Nice ultimatum."

"Yeah pretty good for a spur of the moment."

"Yeah."

The old men came out of the Post Office, carrying their large weekend papers with them.

"Anyway." Said Evan. "How's everything else? You've got your work cut out for you from what I've heard."

"Between schoolwork, shadow training and S.A.D promotion I am pretty busy yeah." She replied honestly. "But I don't want to let anyone down. I'm coping."

"I could always give you a hand with some of it." He said.

"Well you could do my homework for me…"

He winced. "I was thinking more along the lines of S.A.D."

"I guessed as much."

"What's going on with that anyway?"

"Well it started with me I'm proud to say, with S.P.E.W."

He nodded. "Heard of that."

"Really?"

"Sure. At one point it was my job to be an expert on Harry Potters classmates, you and Weasley especially."

"Oh. Well that's just weird. Anyway, Dobby felt that house elves weren't the only magical species that would benefit, so he founded S.A.D, the society against discrimination. Hapsad is filling him in on the Shadows and the truth about Voldemort and everything at the moment, and we're hoping he'll agree to help us. The house elves are incredibly powerful, and would really help in the final battle."

"I see. And is S.A.D going to be a cover for recruiting house elves and other magical species to our cause?"

"Oh no! No no no no. It's legit, a society against discrimination is incredibly important; I wouldn't let it be sidelined by our war. But what it will do is help us get in touch with magical peoples, and sound them out for our cause. Its dual purpose."

Evan scratched his chin. "So…Dobby works at Hogwarts, thats useful, you've got enough on your plate, so S.A.D is missing a liaison officer?"

"Uh yeh. You offering?"

"Yes I am. I've nothing much to do at the moment, and this is important. I could go and talk with various groups, centaur herds and suchlike…tell them about S.A.D and if they're safe, tell them about Voldemort and everything."

Hermione nodded. "That sounds like a great idea. Pansy's agreed to write a mailing list for all human S.A.D members, but I knew other species wouldn't appreciate it. They'd be forced to learn to read human for a start. You could take news to them direct."

"Sounds like a plan. Lets head back, we can discuss it with Dobby and Hapsad and run it past Tom while we're at it."

They got to their feet and wandered back to the house, chatting about trivial things after their heavier conversation.

An hour and a half later Hermione was back at Hogwarts, eating dinner. Pansy was animatedly filling in a glazed over looking Draco on her first edition of the S.A.D newsletter, and Hermione was gossiping with Blaise about the Patil twins hankering after the same guy. Dobby had been enthusiastic about the Shadow movement, and although sworn not to reveal their existence, he promised to inform the other elves about the truth of Voldemort. Hermione had picked up an undercurrent in his ramblings, and was fairly certain a young lady elf had impressed him more than he was letting on. But playing matchmaker was too much for her; she had enough love problems of her own. Severus hadn't come to dinner, and she was worried. She knew he'd been called to death eater duties, and that could be a very bad thing.

Once dinner was ended she headed down to the dungeons, and waved off her friends to go down to Severus' quarters instead of the Slytherin common room. She took a deep breath and knocked softly on the door. It swung open immediately to reveal an unusually pale Severus.

"What?" He asked.

"I came to apologise about yesterday."

He made no move to let her in his room so she automatically adjusted her speech to a corridor conversation.

"I was out of line, completely over reacting. You're within your rights to want to end it, and I should never have issued an ultimatum."

He raised an eyebrow sardonically. "So suck it up, pull your head out of your ass and admit its mutual or so help me God I will make a scene in public." He said.

She squirmed under his unwavering gaze. "It made an impression then."

"Quite."

"Anyway yeah, so I'm sorry. I'll see you tomorrow." She turned to leave.

"Wait." He said softly.

She spun round to look at him.

He sighed and rubbed his forehead, and Hermione was shocked to see his hand was trembling slightly.

"I feel I should apologise too. Many of the things I said were also out of line. I don't think you're just a silly little schoolgirl. After today…" He trailed off for a moment, his eyes clouding. Then he shook his head. "Anyway, I'm sorry."

Hermione touched his arm lightly, a small gesture of understanding. "I have to say, what I wanted, I still hope for. I hope we can still have it. But if we can't, then I don't want to lose you over it. You're still my best friend and that shouldn't change."

Severus cracked a shaky smile. "I would like that too…Hermione."

Hermione smiled back, pleased that he'd used her first name.

"Friends?"

"Friends." He agreed.

Suddenly he darted forward and enveloped her in a hug. The tremors in his hand that she'd noticed before were in his whole body, and Hermione gripped him back hard. He was hugging her like someone holding their only lifeline. Then just as quickly, he let her go and stepped back.

"You should go." He said.

She nodded.

"Goodnight Severus."

"Goodnight."

He went back into his room and closed the door behind him. Hermione let out a sigh of relief and went back up the corridor.

"Venom." She said to the Slytherin entrance, and went to join her friends, leaving the corridor empty behind her.

A few seconds passed, and then, if anyone had been there to see it, they would have witnessed Ginny Weasley take off her boyfriends invisibility cloak, and run up out of the dungeons, intent on telling him what she'd seen, having followed Hermione down after dinner; curious as to where she'd been all afternoon.


	9. Oh, HE'S Voldemort

"There she is."

Hermione heard the whispered exclamation but was a moment too slow to react, as she'd just been briefed on the theory behind unforgivable curses by a much happier looking Severus, and she was daydreaming about the various ways he'd ask her to be his again. A disarming spell whipped her wand out of her pocket into Ginny Weasleys hand, and a stun immobilised her. Ron stepped forward and levitated her into an empty classroom, and Hermione reflected that it was ironic that without her, Wingardium Leviosa would not have been a spell in his arsenal. Inside the classroom Harry unfroze her, but made sure he was between her and the door.

"So." He said.

"What do you want now Potter?" Asked Hermione.

"To ask a few questions."

Hermione was instantly on her guard. She didn't now if the Shadows were still keeping tabs on her, and a dose of Veritaserum would be extremely bad.

"Ask away." She said confidently. "Just don't expect me to answer them all."

"Are you sleeping with Snape?" Asked Ginny eagerly. Harry rolled his eyes and Ron looked disgusted.

"That is one of our questions, yes."

"No." Replied Hermione honestly. "I'm not."

"Oh come on." Said Ginny, getting into her stride. "I saw you with him last night. All that stuff about still wanting it, but if you can't have it being best friends instead. And you hugged him. And you called each other Severus and Hermione."

Hermione blanched, they'd been seen.

Ron zeroed in on her wince. "So its true?" He said incredulously. "You actually are sleeping with that git. Why?"

"For grades probably." Said Harry.

"Oh please." Said Hermione. "As if I need any help in that area. You on the other hand…"

"Excuse me?"

"Everyone thinks you left Hogwarts because you were failing Potter. The teachers couldn't bear the shame of having the boy wonder flunk all their classes so they chucked you out."

Harry was momentarily silenced. "That's, that's a lie."

"Haven't you been reading the papers whilst off on your secret missions? The prophet is being very supportive of you. Saying that you definitely did not get T's in all subjects apart from DADA; which of course just fuels the rumors that you did.

"Shut up." Growled Harry.

"Of course what the public doesn't know is that you're actually looking for horcruxes, a noble mission if I may say so."

Harry looked baffled. "Uh yeah, yeah it is."

"Shame really."

"What?"

"Well you haven't found any."

"We're close!"

"You're failing in real life, just like you would have done here without my help."

"That's enough." Harry pointed her own wand at her.

"What are you going to do Potty? Curse me? If you do, you won't get detention, you don't come here any more. You'll get a trial. More bad press for the chosen one…"

"Don't call me that!" He yelled.

"What are you going to do about it?"

Hermione was aware she was treading on thin ice. Without a wand she was next to helpless. She took a step closer so only Harry could hear her.

"You've only ever been something to rally behind Potter. It's other people who put the real work in. You wouldn't have got past the challenges in first year without me. Wouldn't have worked out what was in or where the chamber of secrets was, without me. Wouldn't have saved Sirius without my time turner, wouldn't have survived the goblet of fire without my help. And now I'm not on your side any more. How does that make you feel?"

She raised her voice so Ginny and Ron could hear. "If I was you, I wouldn't be threatening me with my own wand in an empty classroom. I'd be scared."

She snatched her wand out of a stunned Harry's grasp. "Now leave, before I call for my best friend." She looked at Ginny pointedly when she said it. "You know, that scary, dark arts knowing, Gryffindor hating professor."

Harry scowled and left, Ginny scampering after him. Ron paused to look at her.

"Hermione, we've been far too hot-headed. Can't you just swallow your pride and it can be like in the old days. You Harry and me remember? You don't have to fight with us, I know you don't want to, but you're still on our side right? I mean with the potion and everything. That was really clever of you and might win us the war."

Hermione sighed at his attempt to butter her up.

"Look Ron, It's true to say I want to get rid of Voldemort…" _or whoever Dumbledore has playing him _"…but I am not on your side. I am on my own side. Getting rid of Voldemort makes sense to me as I am a muggle-born. I hate the order, I hate Dumbledore and I think you are a spineless worm."

"Perhaps." Said Ron, now getting angry. "But you loved me for it once. You had everything Hermione, loyal friends and a boyfriend, and you've thrown it all away for what? To hang out with the Slytherins who made your life so miserable once. And spending so much time with Snape on that potion, have you forgotten the teeth incident?"

"No, but I fully understand his reasons for treating me the way he did. Face it Ron, things can never be the same between us. For a start, it's a snake not a lion on my uniform now."

"You could turn back."

"Not a chance. The old days are done and dusted, all I want to have to do with you now is enjoy wreaking my revenge on all of you for the way you've treated me. And believe me, I will have my revenge."

Ron looked frightened and high-tailed it out of the room after the others and Hermione just shook her in mirth. She'd been the one incapacitated by the loss of her wand, and out-numbered 3 to 1. And yet here she was, with her wand having effectively won their altercation. Chuckling, she headed up to her rooms.

Once she'd finished her homework she found herself staring out of the window in her bedroom out into the school grounds. It was a miserable February evening, and the rain was sweeping across the grass, crashing against the castle. Hermione looked up at her calendar and was surprised to see half term was just a week away. Hogwarts had half term earlier than muggle schools these days, to separate muggle children from wizarding ones even more in the dangerous wartime. She knew because her parents had complained Hermione was never around when they had family reunions. The second half of the second term was kick started by the Valentines Day ball on February 14th.

_I wonder if I'll be back with Severus by then_… She wondered. _Such a lot has happened this year, It was only September that I was coming back to school a proud Gryffindor head girl, my mind full of helping the Order. Then by November I knew all about Voldemort and the real war of dark and light magic thanks to my project and Severus. By Christmas I was an outcast and working behind the Orders back for Tom Riddle on a potion that would benefit him and not them. And now I'm a member of the most secretive secret society ever, actively working to undermine Albus Dumbledore. What a year…_

But thinking of Dumbledore just made her angry. He'd threatened her with her parent's well being, and she hadn't heard from them in months. She knew they hadn't been harmed because as far as Dumbledore knew she was helping them, but it still made her feel uneasy. Thinking about Dumbledore got her thinking about Harry… which started her off plotting her revenge.

She had just fished out a fresh piece of parchment when her fireplace crackled and Evan Rosier's head appeared in the embers. "Alright Hermione?"

She got down on her knees in front of the fireplace. "Yes thanks, what's up?"

"Just wondering if I could come through for a chat."

"Sure, I'm alone. But won't the visit be monitored by someone?"

"If I told you how I get around that, I'd have to kill you."

Hermione rolled her eyes and moved back so he could come through; glad she hadn't changed into her pyjamas yet. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a black tee shirt with 'I'm not cynical. I'm just experienced' on it in bright pink. Evan was in a baggy brown shirt and jeans, a black bandana keeping his hair out of his eyes.

"Nice tee."

"Thanks. So why are you really here Evan?"

"Didn't buy the 'just want a chat' cover then."

"Nope."

"Tom wanted me to drop by and see how you were after you first week."

"That's it?"

"Well yeah. You've been exposed to a lot of black magic this week Hermione, you'd be within your rights to be feeling a bit under the weather."

Hermione shrugged. "I'm fine. Had a bit of an argument with Draco earlier on, dredging up old incidents when we weren't the best of mates but that's about it. And my thirst for revenge is at an all time high."

"Revenge?" Evan crossed the room and sat on her bed. "Sounds like fun."

Hermione's eyes sparkled wickedly. "Oh it should be. After the way the Gryffindors treated me they cant expect to get away scot free."

"Definitely not. What have you got planned? And when will you do it?"

"I'm not sure yet. Its going to be after the main battle, because I don't want it to effect any plans the Shadows make. As for what…well it can't be a potion because that's too obvious given my uh, friendship with Severus. So I'll so a spell. It's just finding the right one."

Evan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well Severus is the one you want for revenge spells, but I've a few ideas, ones we can pass off as being done by a copycat Voldemort, one of his surviving minions. Dumbledore won't say 'no it wasn't because I haven't told anyone to do that' so we'll get away with it."

"But what is Voldemort's style? I don't want to use an unforgivable on them."

"Well Aberforth's always been one to…"

"Aberforth?" Hermione was instantly alert. "Voldemort is Aberforth? Dumbledore's brother?"

"Um…oops." Said Evan.

"That makes so much sense, Aberforth would have all the contacts he'd need working in the Hogs Head, and would be perfectly happy to take orders from his brother. But why oops? And why wasn't I told? Severus said I'd be told who Voldemort was when I joined the shadows, but what with everything going on I forgot to ask again. So why wasn't the information volunteered?"

"If it helps, it's the only thing we haven't told you."

"I'm glad, but why?"

"I shouldn't be the one to explain that, ask Severus."

"Fine, I will."

"Anyway." Evan perked up again. "Back to revenge."

A while later they'd brainstormed some pretty impressive spells. Evan left around midnight ad Hermione crawled into bed exhausted. Having half term around the corner would help her catch up on her sleep at any rate…

The next day, after her Monday offensive charms Hermione hung around after Draco left, hoping to talk to Severus alone.

"You got a minute?"

"For you, I have several." He said smiling.

"Nice to see you back to your old self." She said.

He shrugged. "Life's too short to push you away forever. We've agreed to be friends, something I'd missed when we were fighting, so why bother."

Hermione's heart leapt. This was definite progress.

"Right. Well I've got a few delicate questions…"

Severus understood right away, as she knew he would do. He opened the door into his secret study and Hermione followed him in.

"It's about Voldemort."

"Which one?"

"Smart arse. The not Tom one. I know its Aberforth, someone accidentally told me. But they wouldn't tell me why I wasn't told, only to ask you." Hermione voice faded as she saw his face cloud in anger. He saw her expression and his face cleared.

"No I'm not angry at you, just at Rosier."

"I didn't…"

"No you didn't say it was him, but it was, it's something he'd do. Accidentally on purpose of course. I'll explain now, but this time it's you who must promise not to get angry."

"I won't."

"There is a plot being formulated by the two Dumbledores to get to you. Albus isn't too pleased with how you have been conducting yourself, you don't fit into any neat little category. He'd rather you were on one side or the other, his or the death eaters, just so he knew how to deal with you, where your loyalties lie. You're a wild card, and he doesn't like it. Now he knows you're not fully on the orders side, so the next logical move is to see to what extent you are on 'Voldemort's' side. He wants Aberforth to try and recruit you into the death eaters."

"What!" Severus watched her face glower with indignation. _She's rightly insulted, Hermione a death eater? Nonsense. With her abilities she doesn't need them to gain power._

"If you were stupid enough to join them, Albus would have the perfect excuse to get rid of you."

"But how would not knowing Aberforth is Voldemort help me?" Asked Hermione when he paused. "Surely forewarned is forearmed?"

"Not in this case. If you knew it was Aberforth, you'd act strangely around Albus. Though no fault of your own I assure you. The fact is you are not fully trained in subterfuge yet, that's partly my fault. My bad behaviour has lost us hours of work. And Albus is something of an expert in spotting when someone is hiding something, he's been Voldemort since before you were born remember."

Hermione nodded and he continued, glad she'd accepted that part so graciously.

"If Albus thought you were hiding something from him, he would have Aberforth put their plan into action immediately. That would be a catch 22 for you. Once taken by death eaters to see Voldemort you'd have two choices. Join him and be forced to take part in some atrocities, the third or forth of which Albus would conveniently arrest you at and have you executed, or tortured to death by Aberforth for not joining. Either way, you are no longer a problem to Albus."

Hermione was looking a bit pale, and Severus patted her knee consolingly.

"As it is, I've been delaying this plan for weeks, as a death eater. Albus thinks I'm delaying because I'm really an order member trying to protect you, he doesn't like it but he can hardly ask me to stop can he? And officially 'Voldemort' thinks I'm delaying because as a death eater I'm not 100 certain you're amenable to becoming one of them. But really I'm delaying it indefinitely as a shadow because I won't have you mixed up in all that, facing a messy death. You'd be subject to anything, forced to do things..." His voice shook and he held his hands over his face for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm himself. The night before last was still so fresh in his mind.

"I'm sorry if you're angry Hermione, but trust me when I say I felt it was for the best."

"You've been punished for delaying things." Said Hermione flatly.

"Yes." Admitted Severus, knowing he wouldn't be able to lie to her. "But I'm taking it willingly. I've suffered worse at the hands of the Dumbledore's; at least this is to protect you. Having Albus act all concerned afterwards when I crawl into his office to report is worse than the torture itself believe me. Don't worry."

"But of course I worry." Severus was alarmed to see her eyes starting to well with unshed tears. "I have no idea how long you've been getting yourself tortured to protect me, I feel useless and pathetic that I couldn't help you more. Instead I've been making you life harder by pushing you..." She stopped talking and took a shuddering breath.

_She didn't let herself cry._ Thought Severus. _She's becoming more Slytherin every day._

"Promise me you won't take any stupid risks ok?"

"Of course not, I haven't done so for years."

"Oh of course, Severus the super-spy."

"Now you're mocking me." He said, feigning hurt, glad the conversation was steering clear of tears or shouting.

"Not a bit. Well maybe a little bit." Smiled Hermione.

"I thought as much, why do I put up with you?"

"Because you love me." Answered Hermione swiftly.

He opened his mouth to speak but she beat him to it.

"As a friend, if you're going to argue the point again today. But look, I'm still not happy about this situation, I'll treat Dumbledore normally, but the sooner the final battle comes and I can serve him a few hexes the better."

"Well lets get you trained first shall we?" Smiled Severus. "I hope you weren't expecting your half term to be restful."

Hermione face fell slightly and he smirked. _Guess she was then…_


	10. Giving in

Severus was in his room, sat thinking in front of the fire. He was sober this evening, something he hadn't been since he had pushed Hermione out of his quarters when he had realised his feelings for her were uncomfortably strong. Contrary to what Hermione might think, he was aware of her schemes to get him back. The duck incident had thrown him, but the robe switch had an obvious and sophisticated message behind it, one he couldn't ignore. It was time for him to face up to things.

The fact is, I miss her. I miss verbally sparring with someone intelligent enough to keep up with me, I miss working so comfortably with another person, and I miss the smiles, the glances and the seemingly innocent touches. If I'm truly honest with himself, I miss having her in my arms and kissing her.

Evan had visited him earlier, and had spoken a few choice words on the subject of him and Hermione. Even Lucius had sent a short note saying he hoped he'd get off his high horse, as he'd looked so happy at New Years. Severus was painfully aware his love life, or indeed lack of it, was a major topic of conversation at Shadow headquarters. Being a subject of gossip was both unusual and disturbing.

I meant what I said the time she tricked me into carrying her up to her rooms. There was no way she can learn what love was from me; I'm incapable of the emotion aren't I? God knows my parents hadn't been the best role models for a child to learn what an adult relationship was, abuse and pain and suffering….

He noticed his hand was wandering towards the bottle on the coffee table in front of him. Scowling he crossed his arms, squashing his hands into his armpits. He'd made a conscious decision to think things through sober this evening, and he wouldn't fall into the familiar trap of alcohol as an escape. He'd end up an alcoholic that way. _Like my father, like he knew I would…._

Severus looked up at the ceiling and counted to ten, calming himself. He shouldn't compare anything he had with Hermione with what his parents had.

Alright, problem one… 

_Hermione is young enough to be my daughter. There will be many raised eyebrows and the Daily Prophet will have a field day with a student teacher relationship, especially as it's us. The man whose past is murkier than anyone truly knows, and the brightest witch of the age, corrupted by said crook from a promising future as a Gryffindor to being involved with a mysterious potion as a Slytherin, leaving all her beloved friends behind her for individuals whose fathers are 'known' death eaters. It's not hard to imagine the hate mail she'll receive, and that's just the beginning. _

**One the other hand, she's made it clear it's perfectly legal for the two of us to be together, that point has been hammered home enough times. Anyone with a problem need only look at how happy we make each other, and if that doesn't satisfy them, they can go hang for all I care. **

_Fine then. Problem two,_

Face it Severus, you're not good enough for her. Said murky past will drag her brilliance down. She is poised to begin her life outside Hogwarts, once she's seen a little of the world will she really want anything to do with you? You could just be setting yourself up for a massive fall. You've seen her potential, that's part of what attracted you to her in the first place. Is she really going to settle for you, when there are bound to be more attractive young men out there? She could have had Victor Krum for chrissake, a famous Quidditch star.

_**Yes she could have done, but she turned him down. Just like she turned down the Weasley boy. She could have easily stayed with both of them and enjoyed a full and happy relationship, but she ended them both. Maybe she is mature enough to know what she wants from a man, and if so, she certainly seems sure she wants me. "Merlin knows why, you're an utter bastard, but I think I'm in love with you." So, she knows what I am, but loves me anyway. And she doesn't look ready to give up any time soon…**_

Snape was starting to feel a lot happier now. Talking to himself was odd, but this weighing of options, pitting his honest and pessimistic sides seemed to be necessary. Burying his head in the sand hadn't worked after all.

Ok, so age is no barrier, she's fine with it. She thinks I'm worthy of her time, so why should I believe any different? Right. But do I love her?

Severus closed his eyes. Love. One word for such a multitude of emotions.

When I think about her, it hurts. I fear for her when she's way from me, where I can't watch her. And she'd hate me for saying it, she's hardly the simpering sort, but I love the feeling of protecting her. She arouses such anger from me, but such happiness too, is that right? Is that normal? What if one day she angers me so much I lash out? My father…

Severus paused, and sighed.

I am not my father. I would never strike her, even if she angered me enough for me to want to. Better to walk away and demolish a room's furnishings. My father never learned self-control. I have, I have needed to in order to survive. I'm a what, triple agent? And when this war is over, I could provide for her, what have I needed to spend money on these past few years anyway. And as a shadow I'd be in a vaguely important position, maybe heading up my own potions research group, she could satisfy her thirst for knowledge and not worry about material things.

And I would never stop her if she wanted to walk away. Ever. It would be the end of me if she left after I'd let her in, but I will never be her jailor. An equal-partnership should be exactly that.

Severus sat in thought for a little longer, before taking the bottle of Firewhiskey sat in front of him, and standing up, poured it over the fire, putting it out. Stood alone in the darkness, he lent against the mantelpiece and smiled to himself.

Hermione was up early the next day to supervise the students leaving Hogwarts for half term. There were more than was usual, normally people stuck around for the week off to catch up on homework, but this term the castle nigh on emptied. Ron, Ginny and Neville swept past her with ill-disguised hatred, and Hermione just smiled at them, angering them further. They were so easy to wind up.

Draco Pansy and Blaise were also leaving. Pansy was staying at Draco's rather than return to her orphanage and Hermione had bitten her tongue several times to stop from making inappropriate comments. They had been mature enough not to poke fun at her and Severus, so it wouldn't have been fair. They had left in the last coach, and once she had waved them off, Hermione went upstairs to change. Severus had sent her note at breakfast explaining that as they'd sacrificed her Saturday fitness training the last few weeks, they'd spend most of half term on that, spending the evenings on the potion. It wasn't permanent yet, but the mice whose lives they'd sped up showed they were incapacitated for about ten years. Easily long enough to win the final battle, but not the war. The order needed to be taken out. For life.

She had though about what to wear, and decided that dressing to impress wasn't appropriate. She would be worked hard if his smirk yesterday had been anything to go by. She transfigured a pair of white pyjamas into a basic exercise outfit, jogging bottoms and a polo shirt. She swept her hair up into a ponytail, and donned a pair of trainers. She decided to take her time walking down to the dungeons; she had plenty of time and was far from enthusiastic at the prospect of working out. She wasn't unfit, running around the castle dodging ghosts and teachers for six years had saved her that, but she was happier behind a desk.

Knocking on his classroom door at exactly half ten, Hermione strode straight in, not waiting for an answer. Severus was waiting for her, also dressed differently in deference to their activities. He was wearing a similar outfit to her own, but instead of being white, which she had thought sensible to keep cool, he had black sweats on, and a dark green Tee. He too had his hair tied back. And although the clothes were probably a lot lighter than his usual robes, he seemed lighter on his feet than she would have expected, and a lot happier than he had been yesterday when she'd gone to talk about Aberforth.

"Ready?" He asked. "You'll probably hate me by the end of this."

"As long as I can cuss as much as I need to I'll be fine."

Severus smirked. "Sounds about right. I thought we'd start today with a run around the grounds."

"Okay."

He led the way out of the dungeons and out onto the grounds. Hermione wondered briefly about why he wasn't concerned that they'd be seen running together, and questions might be asked. He could hardly answer that he was training her to fight everyone.

"We'll go once round the castle, then we'll stop and see how you feel."

Hermione nodded. "Lets just get this over with."

They started off at a slow jog, and Hermione managed to keep up with Snape easily. In fact she was often jogging in front of him, though she was too occupied with watching her feet to make any comments about him watching her six. The next time they ran round, he went a little faster, and she had to pause a few times to get her breath back. The third time, after about an hour and a half of running, Severus set off with an evil glint in his eye. Hermione groaned, but gamely trailed after him. This time the pace he set was way out of her league, and several times he stopped to give her time to catch up with him.

Hermione was having a miserable time. She was tired, aching and sweaty, thoroughly out of breath and her hair was all over the place. Severus, as if to rub it in, had barely broken out in a sweat at all. When they got back to the main entrance she happily collapsed in a heap on the floor.

"By the time I'm done with you, you'll manage that with no problems."

"Can't you just magic me fit?"

Severus chuckled. "No."

He held his hand out to her, and she took it, reflecting that by and large, he was treating her a lot better today. He hauled her to her feet, and the two of them made their way back to the dungeons. To her horror, they crossed paths with several students on their way, but Severus glared at them and they scuttled around them. Back in the classroom, Hermione questioned him about it.

"Won't is raise awkward questions if we're seen together like this? It's hardly to do with my potion is it?"

"It's unavoidable. I cannot make any of the dungeon rooms any bigger, they are the foundations of Hogwarts, and messing with them could cause structural irregularities. Unfortunately, that means that for running, we have to use the grounds. And as for weight training, I haven't figured that out yet. I'd shrink the desks and move the room around, but many ingredients are unstable, and doing so would alert the headmaster. The running we can pass off as two friends keeping fit together, but anything more serious will be a problem. Or is that you're more worried about being seen bright red?"

"I am not bright red."

"Are too. When was the last time you ran?"

Hermione ignored him.

"As to the other concern, I can solve that."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Please tell. And if it's the staff gym forget it."

Hermione thought fast. The room of requirement was perfect, but could she take a teacher there? Especially one who didn't already know of its existence. She felt like she would be betraying someone.

"Um. Well if I were to take you there, I'd have to cast some kind of disorientating spell. You can't know where it is."

"Why not."

"It's a student resource, a much needed secret room. A room that becomes whatever you need. It's where we held the D.A. meetings."

"Ah. The room of requirement. Yes I know it exists, but everyone who has ever come across it can generally never find it again. But I take it that's a myth?"

"Yep. We used it on a regular basis. But I won't tell you where it is, it's a student solidarity thing."

"Well isn't it you that's so keen to point out that you're not a student when you're with me, you're just a woman?"

Hermione opened her mouth and shut it again. Hadn't they just agreed to be friends a day or so ago? She'd expected flirting to take another few weeks at least.

"Well if you don't see me as a student…"

"I'm afraid I don't." Severus closed the gap between them. "Does that spoil your argument?"

"I couldn't care less about the room or requirement right now. Are you saying you see me as a woman? Not just a friend."

"I believe that is what I implied."

Hermione looked him in the eye.

"You're enjoying this aren't you."

"What?"

"Enjoying my bafflement as to what the hell you're doing. Are you saying that you're not going to be a complete idiot about us any more?"

"I was never a complete idiot…"

He trailed off at the look of utter joy on her face. I make her feel that way…

Needing no more encouragement, her leant forward and kissed her soundly, wrapping her in his arms as if she was the most precious thing in the world. Hermione, swept away in her surprise kissed him back with all the love she could muster. When they finally parted, both panting for breath, Hermione grinned.

"You may be all that at running, but **I** can take your breath away."


	11. Half Term

The next morning at breakfast Hermione saw that as there were so few staying, the custom of teachers and students eating together was to be reprised. As she was late down, having slept in after a long evening brewing with Severus, most of the table was already filled. Dumbledore was sat up the top end of the table, and the teachers were dispersed amongst a few awkward looking students. They were mostly from the younger years, muggles who wouldn't go home in case they weren't allowed back, and orphans who couldn't. The conversation was the quidditch cup, which Ravenclaw was winning for once. Hermione winkled her nose and sat at the other end, away from everyone.

She was helping herself to some French toast when Severus stalked into the hall, back in his forbidding teaching robes with his customary scowl in place.

"Severus!" Called Dumbledore in a jolly voice. "Come join us, we were discussing the last Quidditch match." The headmaster indicated to a chair that had obviously been saved for him.

Severus glanced at it, then at Hermione who was studiously concentrating on her breakfast.

"Perhaps another time Headmaster." He replied, and instead sat down opposite Hermione. "May I join you?"

Hermione looked up, glancing down at the confused faces of both students and teachers with a slight smile.

"I warn you, I'm rather tired after last night, and liable to be grouchy."

Severus poured himself a goblet of dark coffee. "That would make two of us. I suggest we don't stay up quite that late tonight, however carried away we get."

Hermione caught his eye. As she suspected, he was aware of their audience and was milking the innuendo for all it was worth, just to amuse himself. He was smirking.

"Agreed. As much as I enjoyed myself, it was somewhat exhausting. I'm aching all over… are you alright Professor McGonagall?"

Professor McGonagall had spat her pumpkin juice across the table all over a horrified first year. Hermione flicked her wand to clean the unfortunate Hufflepuff.

"No harm done Miss Kirkby. Professor McGonagall didn't mean it personally"

Severus passed a napkin to his stricken colleague. "Though it was most out of character. Is your IBS acting up again Minerva? I have a potion in the dungeons…"

"I think." Said Dumbledore gravely over a spluttering Minerva, "That it was surprise at your and Miss Grangers rather candid conversation."

"Oh there's no need to be concerned." Said Hermione brightly. "He's not stretching me too much."

A recovering McGonagall choked again, and went bright red.

"Indeed." Said Severus. "I thought Hermione's extensive exercise regime in preparation for the final battle followed by a late night brewing a particularly difficult potion would be more of a challenge. But she is rising to it admirably."

"Oh." Said Dumbledore, thrown. "Well good."

Hermione didn't dare look at Severus, certain she'd burst out laughing. He too chose to silently finish his breakfast.

After breakfast Hermione went to change, and was soon ready for her morning run. Herself and Severus had rigidly timetabled each day the night before. She started off with a run after breakfast, and then they worked on the potion from then till lunch. Early afternoon Severus reserved some time to mark essays and make lesson plans for the next half of the school term, time Hermione used to work out in the room of requirement, building her strength up on the weight machines and improving her fighting style and reaction times in scenario's the room constructed for her.

After that, in the late afternoon the two of them would meet up and Hermione worked on whatever area they normally had scheduled, be it curses or defensive charms. After dinner, she'd do her homework in Severus' living room while he read or brewed. In the evenings Severus decided to start teaching her things she didn't have to know, but would come in handy. Hermione had wanted to spend that time relaxing, just being together as a couple but her innate curiosity and thirst for knowledge outweighed her desires.

"Yes Hermione, you can apparate. What I'm saying is it's more difficult to do so in and around Hogwarts. That's why it's generally thought to be impossible."

"So what, I need more deliberation? Or determination."

"No. There's a completely different way of doing it. Its no more like apparation than flying through air is like swimming in water. They look similar, but are very different."

"Than why do you call it apparation?"

"It's easier and it confuses people. Now be silent and read this."

"Shut up! Just shut the hell up, I am going to try again."

"Hermione, you're only angry because by botching your attempts at the Imperius curse the negative energy you're summoning is just going right back into you. And I want you to cease for this evening and take a break."

"I am not 'botching it.' Its not my fault that I haven't mastered it right off."

"Yes, that's exactly right. It's very difficult and I would have been disturbed if you had got it right."

"Why? Because it would mean I'm smarter than you thought."

"No, that's not it at all you're being irrational…"

"Damn right I'm being irrational!"

Severus ducked as she sent a small stack of books hurtling at his head.

"So. The powdered thighbone of a herbivore rhinoceros is not what we want."

"I'd agree oh undisputed master of the understatement." Hermione wrung the explosive results of their last potion batch out of her hair. "Perhaps, like I suggested, the thighbone of the carnivorous rhinoceros would be better suited."

Severus rolled his eyes. "Indeed."

"Have not."

"Have too."

"Have not."

"Have too."

"Have not."

"Have too.

"Have not."

"Have too."

"Severus, Hermione please. We're trying to eat. Can discussions of whether or not Severus has ever enjoyed watching first years cry wait?"

"Oh Merlin."

Severus watched resignedly as Hermione scooped up the squirrel she had just Avada Kedava'ed and started to cry.

"I, I don't know why I'm ssso u-upset." She sobbed. "I'm h-happy I finally managed to k-kill something."

"Hormones?" Said Severus nastily, and ducked as an equally nasty hex shot over his head, blistering the wall behind him.

By Sunday evening, Hermione was exhausted. Drained emotionally and physically knackered she was looking forward to regular lessons starting up again. Severus too was sporting a rather nasty bruise from a wayward pixie that Hermione had forgotten to stupefy after performing crucio on it. Madame Pomfrey was on holiday, and Hermione had used all the bruise diminishing lotions on herself.

"I wish you'd told me you'd finished it all, I could have brewed some more."

"We've been too busy."

"Ordered some then."

"It hardly matters."

"Classes begin the day after tomorrow. I will have a multicoloured green and yellow bruise by then."

"So it'll be vaguely Slytherin coloured."

"You are in insufferable. And it needs stirring once anti-clockwise every third clockwise stir remember."

They were working on what they hoped would be the final test of the permanent potion in the Slytherin secret lab. Severus had insisted on using the very small room in case Albus had questioned why they were still experimenting when the minute long potion was meant to be the full extent of their abilities. Unfortunately, it meant that Hermione had trouble concentrating. Had Severus theorised it was because every time he brushed past her, her heart sped up or whenever he spoke too close to her she shivered, he would have been dead right.

"I know. Just add the rhino will you. Omnivorous has to work."

They both sat under a desk while it simmered though, just in case. Severus had a little trouble, his robes being too voluminous to sit down there easily. Hermione wore muggle clothes when brewing, as they gave her more manoeuvrability than robes, and she felt that if the potion were to splash on her or explode again, jeans would be far more protection than her school skirt.

"You know, if it doesn't explode this time, we've done it." Said Severus.

"I know. Then we can start making plans to use it." 

"Have you thought of a name for it? We shouldn't just keep calling it 'the potion'."

Hermione smiled. "Well it has such a ring to it…"

"You haven't then."

"I hadn't thought about it. Have you?"

"I've had a few ideas. But it's your potion, so the honour goes to you."

"Oh its hardly my potion. It would have been impossible without you. It was your idea as an alternative project, and your knowledge has been indispensable."

"But it is your project. Besides, I've named a half dozen potions."

"But this one is amazing. Couldn't we name it together? Like dual namership."

"Alright, that sounds fair. I did put a lot of work in…"

"Yeah yeah alright. So what were your ideas?"

"Well the original potion was never named, the book as you know is called '_the loss of thy foes potency'_, again not a very snappy name. I imagine they called it at the time something along the lines of, 'you know, **that** potion.'"

Hermione snorted. "Hypocrites."

"Exactly. I thought something in Latin, it carries more authenticity that way."

They spent the next hour or so discussing possible names for the potion, without getting very far. They wanted it to encapsulate its evilness, in some way explaining through its very name how little it should be used. It also needed to vaguely describe its effects.

"I'm sorry, but Ab Hinc Nulls Vines is too long. Even if it does work. Besides, 'from here on no power' doesn't establish how the potion should be feared."

"Well I don't think Jus In Bello works either. Saying that it's 'law in war' will only encourage people to think that in wartime anything is allowed."

Hermione looked at her watch. "It's been an hour. If it was going to have exploded, it would have done by now."

Severus nodded and the both emerged from under the desk. The potion had gone clear. It looked like gently steaming water. Hermione reached for the dragon hide gloves and filled a syringe with the potion, and went over to the mice cages. Severus set up the apparatus for testing, creating the bubble with the instruments for reading magical ability. Hermione carefully injected the mouse, and placed it inside the bubble. Her mouth was dry, and Severus sounded as nervous as she felt when he asked if she was ready.

Nodding, she cast the spell to speed up the mouse's lifetime, the twenty years it would survive compressed into a couple of minutes. The two of them watched in silence as the dial went immediately to showing no magical ability. As the seconds ticked by, Hermione reached out and grasped Severus' hand, lacing her fingers through his. He squeezed back in acknowledgement, and the two of them waited, holding hands as the mouse's life sped past.

By the time a whole minute had passed, and the magical ability of the mouse had not returned, Hermione inched closer to Severus. He wrapped his arms around her as she stood in front of him, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"Another minute to go yet." he whispered.

"I know." She whispered back.

When the mouse died, after just over two minutes, Hermione felt numb. They'd done it. All the late nights and frantic research. The two of them stood still for a moment, staring at the dead mouse. Then suddenly Severus turned Hermione round and spun her round the room.

"We only went and did it!" He laughed.

Hermione grinned as he placed her back on the ground. "We sure did. Oh Merlin Severus it's done!"

He reached down and kissed her passionately.

"You know you're the best thing that ever happened to me don't you?" He said, suddenly serious as he stared into her eyes.

Hermione took a deep breath. "I do now." She said quietly. "And you're the second best thing that's ever happened to me." Finishing with a cheeky smile.

"Only second best?" Severus knew not to be hurt from the way she'd said it, but was still curious. "Who was best?"

"Finding out I was a witch was the best thing to ever happen to me, but you're the best person to have crossed my path."

Severus sighed with happiness at her answer. "One day I'm going to make you sign something, no making me look sappy more than once a day. Its hardly becoming of a person in my position" He said.

Hermione just smiled and kissed him. "I won't sign."

"And I could never make you."

Suddenly, he swept her up into his arms and kicked open the door between the study and his bedroom. "Although our first kiss in this room was enjoyable, I believe we could do better than a hard desk this time?" He carried her through the door, and as he was about to go into his living room, Hermione wriggled so he lost his grip, and had to set her down.

"Hermione what..."

"Why bother going in there." She said. "When I fully intend to end up in your bedroom this evening anyway." She looked up at him directly as she said it, but Severus saw that she was actually very nervous, wondering if she'd crossed some sort of line.

"Are you certain you want this Hermione?"

"Yes."

Of course she was sure. She'd been more than ready to lose it to Ron at the beginning of the year, and she hadn't even properly loved him.

He kissed her again. "If we do this, I won't easily let you go."

"I don't want you to." She replied. "Ever."

Severus made a growling sound of approval deep in his throat and carried her over to the bed. He set her down on the bed with a gentleness that would have surprised had she not known him as well as she did.

He kissed her again, trying to undo the unfamiliar fastenings of her jeans. He wasn't successful, and expected more discussion from her about it.

"I'll do it." She whispered, and slid the jeans off her hips. She rarely bothered undoing the button or zip, preferring to tug them on and off in a hurry. He took the moments she was busy with her tee shirt and bra to shrug off his own robes. When he next looked up, Hermione was sat naked on his bed, and his breath caught in his throat.

"Oh Hermione." His voice was husky with need, and his loins tightened. He kissed her open mouth fiercely, then buried his face in her neck and sucked warmth to the surface. Breathing hard, he backed off and saw the angry red mark he had made. He took a deep breath, reaching for control.

"Is anything wrong?" Asked Hermione with a worried frown.

"Only that I want you too much. I want to make it right for you, but I don't know if I can. You are so beautiful."

Her frown smoothed to a smile. "Whatever you do will be right Severus."

He kissed her again, more gently, determined not to rush her first time. He caressed the side of her body, feeling the fullness of her breast, the dip of her waist, the smooth curve of her hip. She quivered under his touch. Her nipples hardened in his palm. He kissed her Shadow tattoo, tracing the lines and swirls with his tongue; then sought the other breast and sucked her nipple into his mouth. As he did so he looked up at her face, her hair, tousled on his pillow, framed her face. Her dilated eyes, deep and soft, glowed with hidden fire.

He rose and untied the belt that held up his trousers, and stood looking at her with his impressive cock hard already. Her eyes, to his relief, held only trust and desire, none of the fear he had imagined he'd see in this situation. He lay down beside her, feeling more excited than he'd ever really been before. He wanted this to last, this first time between them. None of the hurried experiences he's been forced to perform as a death eater.

He found her ear, and his warm breath sent shivers of delight through her once more. He nibbled her earlobe, and then suckled it. He found the tender nerves on her neck and throat that excited chills across her body. His hands explored her, felt the silky texture of her hair, cupped her cheek and jaw, and traced the contours of her shoulders and arms. When her reached her hand, he brought it to his mouth, kissed her palm, stroked each finger, then followed the inside curve of her arm.

Her eyes were closed, giving in to the rhythmic surges Severus was eliciting in her. His warm mouth found the hollow in her neck, then followed the path down between her breasts and curved underneath one. He described decreasing circles with his tongue and felt the texture of her skin change when he reached her nipple. She gasped when he drew it into his mouth, and felt a throb of heat himself at her reaction. His hand matched his tongues movement with her other breast, and his fingers found her nipple hard and erect. He suckled gently at first, but when she pushed herself up to him he increased the suction. She breathed hard, moaned softly. His breath matched her wanting, he wasn't sure he could wait. He stopped then, to look at her again, her eyes were closed her mouth open.

He wanted her, all at once. He took her mouth, drew her tongue inside his. When he released it, he found her throat again, and drew wet circles around her other full breast until he reached the nipple. She arched herself nearer to his touch, and shuddered when he answered with a deep pull. His hand caressed her stomach, her hip her leg, then reached for her inner thigh. Her muscles rippled as she tensed for a moment, then she separated her legs. He cupped his hand over her mound of cark brown curls and felt a sudden damp warmth. The answering jolt in his cock caught him by surprise. he stayed where he was, fighting for control, and almost lost it when he felt another surge of wetness in his hands.

His mouth left her nipple and circled her stomach and navel. When he reached her mound, he looked up at her. She was breathing in mewling gasps; her back arched and tensed with anticipation. She was ready. He kissed the top of her mound, felt crinkly hair and moved lower. She was quivering, and when his tongue found the top of her narrow slot, she sprang up with a cry, then lay back moaning.

His cock was throbbing eagerly now, impatiently, as he shifted position to slide down between her legs. Then he spread her open and took a long, loving taste. She could not hear her own sounds as she lost herself to the flood of exquisite sensations coursing through her as his tongue explored every fold, every ridge. He concentrated on her to keep his own demanding need in check, found her swollen clit and moved it firmly and rapidly. He feared he had reached the limits of his self-control when she writhed and sobbed with an ecstasy unknown to her before. With two long fingers, he entered her moist passage and applied pressure up, from inside.

Suddenly she arched her back and cried out, and he tasted a new wetness. Her hands clenched and unclenched convulsively in an unconscious beckoning motions that matched her spasmodic breaths.

"Severus." She cried out to him. "Oh Severus, I need…need you… now."

He was on his knees, gritting his teeth in an effort to hold back, trying to enter her carefully.

"I'm trying…to be easy." He said, almost painfully.

"Ssseverus…" She moaned.

Still kneeling so he could control his penetration, he guided the head of engorged cock into her untried opening. He slowly pushed into her warm, damp, tight well. As she wrapped her legs around her waist he felt the blockage within her. With his finger he found her clit again and moved himself back and forth just a little, until her gasps came with cries and he felt her hips lift. The he drew back, pushed hard, and felt himself penetrate the barrier as she cried out in mingled pain and pleasure.

He pressed farther, and felt himself drawn in, felt her warm moist depths enfolding him until, to his wonder, she engulfed him fully. He drew back and plunged deeply into her gain. He withdrew again, and as he penetrated once more, he felt her wonderful throbbing passage caress his full length. It was more than he could bear. He dived in again and again, with unrestrained abandon, for once giving in to his own need.

"Hermione!" He called out.

The tension was reaching its peak. He could feel it gathering as he drew back once more and Hermione rose up to him with every nerve and muscle taut. He surged into her, revelling in the sheer sensual pleasure of burying himself fully in her eager warmth. They strained together, Hermione called his name, and, giving her his final fraction, Severus filled her.

For an eternal instant, his deeper, throatier cries rose in harmony with her breathless sobs repeating his name as tremors of inexpressible pleasure shuddered through them. Then, with exquisite release, he collapsed on top of her. For a long moment, only their heavy breathing could be heard. They could not move. They had given all to each other, every fibre of their shared experience. After a time, they didn't want to move, didn't want it to end, though they knew it was over.

Severus reluctantly moved off her, knowing he would soon become too heavy, and lay down beside her, drawing her to him in an embrace. Hermione sighed happily against his chest and he felt her smile against his skin.

"Sine Nomine." She murmured sleepily, as they lay in each other's arms.

"What?" Asked Severus groggily.

"I'm calling the potion 'Sine Nomine'. It means without a name."

Some of the sex scene had short passages borrowed from Jean Auels 'The Valley of Horses'.


	12. Preparation and Presentation

Hermione woke up early the next day, and put it down to having slept in an unfamiliar bed. She'd always woken early when staying at the Burrow too. She looked over at Severus, who was still sleeping, one arm holding her securely by the waist. She took a minute just watching him sleep, cuddling into his side. She knew that in all the books it was said that people always looked more peaceful when they slept, but in Severus' case the cliché was well founded. All the troubles of tricking Dumbledore and Aberforth left an almost imperceptible hunted look on his face when awake, but here, in the early morning, all his cares seemed to have melted away.

_As great as this is_, thought Hermione, _I need to get up and I need to pee and I've got things to do._

Carefully, so as not to disturb him, she lifted his arm so she could wriggle out of his embrace. He didn't wake up, just shifted position and rolled over. Smiling in relief Hermione padded quietly over to his bathroom.

A short while later she emerged and picked up her clothes from the day before, then crept through the bedroom and flooed back to her own rooms to change. The older students were returning from half term today for the ball, but lessons wouldn't start until the day after tomorrow. In the mean time, she had to buy a dress for the Valentines Ball. As head girl, it was a social function she couldn't skip out on.

Before she went down to breakfast she flooed back to Severus' quarters in case he's woken up. He hadn't yet, but she wasn't overly surprised. With a wicked grin she surmised that this was probably the most relaxed he'd been in a long time. Instead of waking him, she pinned a short note to her pillow explaining why she'd gone.

_Because knowing him he'll think becoming lovers was too much for me and I ran off to lick my wounds. Lovers…now that's a word I could get used to saying._

She grabbed a bottle of pain relief potion before she left too, because as ready as she'd been, a first time hurts, and this morning she was aching.

Breakfast was a hurried affair, as the elves were busy making the feast for the ball and made it clear they wanted everyone out as quickly as possible, without being rude. This suited Hermione fine, as she didn't want to wait around to hear about any extra head girl duties that Dumbledore might have thought up for her. Instead, she left the castle as soon as she spotted an opportunity and went down to the gates at a brisk jog. She was fairly certain she could have apparated out of the great hall to Diagon Alley, but she didn't want to splinch herself without Severus around to sort her out.

Diagon Alley was blissfully empty so early in the morning, with just a few harried looking parents picking up odds and ends their children needed to go back to school with. Hermione made her way to Madame Malkins robe shop for a new ball dress. Her dress from fifth year, although beautiful, was too pink for her current taste. The door tinkled as she walked in and Madame Malkin bustled over.

"Can I help you Miss Granger?" Hermione noted that she'd been recognised. Bloody publicity.

"Yes please Madame. I need a new ball gown, for this evening too if that's at all possible."

"Certainly. If you would step up onto this stool?"

Hermione stood on the stool and waited patiently as the witch took her measurements. "And will you be wanting something similar to the Ball you bought for the Yule Ball a few years ago? I have some lovely pink silk I could…"

"No, thank you. I have something a little different in mind this year."

Just over half an hour later Hermione left the shop, confident Madame Malkin had understood what she wanted from her detailed instructions and perusal of material swatches. The dress would be made for the evening, and delivered straight to Hogwarts. _It had better be right._ Thought Hermione. _I won't have time to change it much if it's not. _

Hermione apparated back to Hogwarts, and walked back up to the castle at a leisurely pace. About half way up the path she spotted Severus coming towards her, in his jogging outfit. She waved him over and he fell into step beside her.

"You got my note?" Asked Hermione.

"Yes. Though you forgot to say where you were going."

"I didn't forget, I purposely omitted."

Severus chuckled. "I won't give you the satisfaction of asking why. I must admit, I was relieved you weren't there when I woke."

"Why?"

"I'd be wondering if you expected a sickeningly sweet breakfast in bed, you know the type. The tray with a flower in a vase etc."

"Hardly. I'm not a particularly romantic person, I like flowers and intimate conversation, but big boxes of chocolates and swearing you undying love while I simper around isn't my cup of tea."

Severus snorted. "I'd take you to Pomfrey if it seemed you thought it was."

"No you wouldn't. Because then you'd have to explain why I'm in love with you."

"And why are you."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I told you, I don't know. Love is blind right?"

Severus sighed. "Right. Heaven knows why I'm in love with the insufferable know-it-all."

Hermione gave him a shove. "Rude."

"Indeed. And what are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to change the subject. I didn't purposefully omit where I was going this morning, I forgot to. I was buying a dress for tonight."

"The Ball."

"That's right. Oh!"

"What is it?"

"Um." Hermione felt a bit awkward. "Well we weren't really, you know. At the time. And even if we were, well we probably couldn't anyway. So I'm going with Blaise to the ball but only as friends. And that's ok right?"

Severus frowned. "He knows it's only as friends?"

"Oh yes. No problem there."

"Then it's fine with me. Though if I find you two in the bushes I will not settle for detention."

Hermione grinned. "Fair enough. It's just so we've both got someone to walk in with."

"I said it's fine."

"But knowing is a weight off your mind."

Severus glanced over at her. "Of course." He said.

They had reached the castle doors and Severus pulled her to one side and began to talk quietly. "I'll be busy with my teacher duties for most of the day, and I imagine you have things to do when the children arrive as well. We won't be able to get away to give the Shadows the potion tonight either, so we'll do that tomorrow instead. Truth is, there's several meetings for all the various groups happening tomorrow evening, as none of them expect the others to be planning anything on the day they children come back to school."

"Ok. So I'll see you at the ball. Wear something Slytherin-y coloured. No one else will think anything of it, but I want to match. I'm in emerald green."

"Very well, see you later." He gave her a quick peck on the lips, and then they parted ways, both getting busy ready for the new half term.

The students arriving back at Hogwarts after the holiday filled the castle with animated chatter as friends reunited and excitement over the ball reached fever pitch. The corridors quickly emptied as the evening neared, as everyone busied themselves with getting dressed. Hermione was sat in her private common room to avoid the general clamour that had got even as far as the Slytherin rooms, when Pansy, Draco and Blaise all piled in breathing heavily.

"Where have you been!" Cried Pansy.

"Here." Replied Hermione bemused. "Where else would I be?"

"We thought we'd meet in the Slytherin common room and get ready together, but you weren't there."

Hermione sat up. "Of course I wasn't! Everyone's getting too manic down there. I thought I'd come up here and read."

Blaise sat down beside her. "You confused the owls as well. A Package came for you and the owl was flying round down there screeching."

Pansy held out a package, with Madame Malkins seal on the top. "Are these your robes?"

"I guess so. None of the Hogwarts owls would be as stupid to not find the person a package is addressed to."

"Well come on then!" Pansy grabbed Hermione by the arm and dragged her towards her bedroom. "See you later boys!"

Hermione opened her door, disabling the wards so Pansy could enter. She sat on the bed, followed by Pansy, and the two of them made short work of the package. Hermione pulled out her dress, and levitated it, so she could see it from all angles. Pansy did the same to her own dress, which she'd had in her pocket, then conjured a screen to change behind. A moment or so later she came out wearing a black backless halter neck, trimmed round the neckline with a bright fuchsia pink. It was made from a velvet type material, but Hermione could tell from the way it hung that it wasn't as warm or as heavy. It was tailored to fit closely, but not tight, and flared out towards the bottom. Her black hair was down, a pink flower matching the pink of the dress pinned to one side. She gave a twirl and grinned.

"What do you think?"

"It's beautiful, but is Draco prepared to wear anything pink to match it?"

"Almost. He's wearing a plain black and white tux, but I persuaded him to wear a flower in his buttonhole to match the one in my hair. Lets see yours then."

Hermione went behind the screen, absently listening to Pansy hum as she fixed her make up. Hermione pulled off her clothes and shimmied into her dress. Madame Malkin had got it almost right, and few tweaks with her wand was all it took to get everything as she wanted it. She stepped out from behind the screen and Pansy smirked.

"You really want to ram it down those Gryffindors throats that your Slytherin don't you. It's gorgeous."

Hermione gave an experimental twirl in front of the mirror, pleased with what she could see. It was a simple strapless full-length dress, in emerald green silk. Hermione had ordered a pair of black silk gloves that went up to her elbows and was also wearing the sliver pearl necklace and earrings she'd worn at New Years to the Malfoys ball. Her dark brown hair was worn up in a neat bun, a few tendrils shot through with green. Her eyes were dark with black eyeliner, and her lipstick was a few shades darker than her natural shade too.

"Thanks."

"Shame Severus won't be the one to walk down the stairs with you."

"I know. But hey, at least we're back together now."

Pansy grinned and gave a little squeal. "I knew he'd see sense! What happened? Did he ask you or did you ask him?"

"He asked me. But keep it to yourself. Obviously the less people who know the better."

"What about Draco and Blaise?"

"I'll tell them in a bit. I can't take the opportunity for Draco to tease Severus away from him, especially on Valentines Day."

Pansy gave her a sly smile. "So have you two…you know."

Hermione gave her a look of mock outrage. "I am saving myself for marriage I'll have you know."

Pansy grinned. "I thought so. But don't worry; I won't ask for details. He's still too much of a teacher for me in some ways. You can keep your sex life to yourselves."

"Gee thanks." Said Hermione. "So shall we go out and see how your beaux is doing?"

"Yes lets." Chuckled Pansy. "But I bet he's not ready yet."

Sure enough, Blaise was alone in the common room, sitting impatiently on a sofa, drumming his fingers on the armrest. He jumped up when the two women came in, and shook his head.

"Both of you look amazing, and neither of you are single. Are you trying to get me killed by protective partners?"

Hermione laughed. "Of course. Isn't Draco done yet?"

"Nope, he's fixing his hair or something I don't know. Why he can't just bung a tux on like the rest of I don't know."

Pansy darted to Draco's rooms' door and went in. Hermione made out a few words being spoken, and then the door opened, Pansy dragging a haughty looking Draco behind her.

"Are we all ready." He asked.

Pansy rolled her eyes behind her boyfriends back and Hermione bit her tongue. "Now you're done, yes we are."

They left the heads rooms together, joining the throng moving towards the main staircase down to the great hall. Their innate Slytherin sense of style and timing meant that most of the school was already in the Great Hall, and as they approached the stairs they watched Nearly Headless Nick announce Ron and Luna, then Harry and Ginny. Predictably, everyone's eyes were on the chosen one and his date, and Hermione nudged Draco to get his attention.

"Fancy ruining his big entrance?" she whispered.

Draco grinned at her wickedly. "Of course. What's the plan?"

"Leave it to me. Just be ready to descend the stairs as regally as possible."

Draco and Pansy gracefully hurried to the top of the stairs, and Hermione gave Blaise's arm a squeeze before disappearing into a shady corner. She took a deep breath, and cast a disillusionment charm on herself, then concentrated on apparating, not wanting to splinch on her ball night. With a quiet pop she disappeared, and reappeared next to Harry and Ginny. She walked with them so they were halfway down, and then stuck her foot out in front of Ginny. Ginny was wearing a heavy gold dress, that must have been second hand as she was too short for it, and got entangled in the material draped round her feet making her stumble. As she was arm in arm with Harry, she took him over with her when she fell. As they tumbled down the last few steps, the Bloody Baron boomed out Draco and Pansy's names.

"The Head Boy Draco Malfoy, and his date for this evening Pansy Parkinson."

Draco walked down the stairs quickly, but regally as Hermione had suggested. At the bottom of the stairs, with a touch Hermione loved, he wrinkled his nose, raised his cloak and stepped over the groaning body of Harry, who was lying on the floor. Pansy lifted her skirt and daintily stepped over Ginny, looking for the entire world like she was avoiding a piece of shit on the pavement. Hermione hurriedly apparated back to Blaise, lifting her invisibility and grinned at him.

"The Head Girl Hermione Granger, and her date for this evening Blaise Zambini."

They swept elegantly down the staircase, Hermione resting her hand on Blaise's proffered arm. Hermione used the height to spy out Severus, and spotted him lurking in a corner. At the bottom of the stairs they joined with the waiting Draco and Pansy and entered the great hall together. Harry and Ginny were being fussed over by Gryffindors, and the whole group shot them dirty looks, knowing they couldn't do more in front of the teachers. Hermione gave Pansy a discreet high five and smirked.


	13. The Ball

Severus watched Hermione descend the stairs, and only felt a slight jealous pang at seeing her with Blaise. She was only resting her hand on his arm after all. And rationally, he knew the boy who not competition. So he allowed himself to just watch her. She was once again, stunning. He'd been expecting a dress in the modern styles, but Hermione had chosen a dress from the past, and with the gloves and her hair up, looked like a starlet from the golden age of Hollywood. Not many wizards would have appreciated that, but Severus was half muggle, and had whiled away lonely afternoons watching his late mothers films. She walked confidently, and like, Severus realised contentedly, the woman he loved. Seeing her there, now, he knew he loved her.

With a slight frown he shifted position. Musing on love was wonderful, but other parts of him were concerned more with lust, knowing what she looked like under her figure hugging dress, and it was neither the time nor the place.

The great hall was decorated for the ball, and had been unfortunately done by the hopeless romantic Minerva and the lover of all things tacky, Dumbledore. The floor was strewn with flower petals, the sky in the ceiling was a pink sunset, and the walls were covered with drapes of various pink shades. Even the buffet tables had pale pink tablecloths.

The last few couples filtered into the hall, and Dumbledore stood up at lectern on the raised platform where the teachers ate.

"Welcome." He said. "To Hogwarts Valentine Ball. Perhaps the Head Boy and Girl would mind starting the dance?"

Hermione and Pansy walked out onto the dance floor with their men, and as the music started began to waltz round the room. Blaise led Hermione expertly, a real relief as she was still a bit unsure about her dancing style, and they spent the song in comfortable silence, occasionally one of them would make a comment about the looks they were receiving from the crowd, and would laugh. When the dance ended, the teachers led a round of applause, which the Slytherins joined in with proudly. Hermione and Blaise found themselves surrounded by people requesting a dance, as it was common knowledge they weren't together and they both looked stunning. Hermione danced with a few boys, welcoming any opportunity to trip her enemies as they passed one another.

After a dozen or so songs she excused herself and went over to the drinks table. Severus was loitering nearby to discourage tampering with the punch, and Hermione took a drink over to him.

"Is it spiked yet?"

"No. Would you like it to be?" He motioned to a slight bulge in his jacket.

"Mmm, yes please."

He quickly bought out a small flask and poured a bit of its contents into both their glasses.

"Thank you."

They stood side by side not talking, just watching the dancing and sipping their drinks. "You look beautiful again tonight Hermione." Said Severus after a short while.

Hermione smiled. "Thank you. You're looking rather dashing yourself."

He was wearing a black tux, with an emerald green waistcoat, not quite the same shade as her own but very close. "I try. Though I have drawn a few glances, wearing such an unusually vibrant colour and

such."

"I'd noticed that too. Some were quite admiring. Don't you go running off with a younger prettier model now will you."

Severus chuckled. "Damn, foiled."

Hermione laughed and moved a fraction nearer, so they were touching. "Do you think I could get a dance later? Some teachers dance, and yeah they dance with each other, but I figured, why not?"

"I think that can be managed. The head of Slytherin dancing with the Slytherin head girl."

Hermione smiled cheekily, looking up at him. "Can I get the last dance?"

Severus looked down into her radiant face. "Certainly. Now you'd better go dance with a few more oafs, we're getting both glances, looks and mutters stood here in this corner together."

Hermione sighed. "I guess. I'll be back later. And I'm glad we're together tonight, this would have been intolerable if you were still being stubborn."

Severus pushed her with his hip. "Get going minx. Before I kiss you."

"Well when you put it like that…" Said Hermione coyly. She gave Severus her glass and sashayed back onto the dance floor, picking up where she left off.

Presently, Hermione found herself dancing with Draco, Pansy off having a rest.

"Matching outfits Herms?" He asked, with a slight raise of an eyebrow.

"Oops." Said Hermione, grinning. "Busted."

"It's a bit blatant, you should hear some of the crazy things going round the room."

He dipped her to the music, and then twirled her round.

"I heard he slipped you something in your drink. A love potion some reckon."

Hermione laughed. "I wouldn't need it, I'm already in love. No it was bit of something to jazz up plain old fruit punch."

Draco looked hurt. "He never offered me any."

"You're not wearing a matching outfit. And you're underage."

Draco rolled his eyes. "By a few months. So you two are together again?"

"Yep, he finally relented."

"He seems a lot happier, even under that trademark scowl. You're good for him Herms, I'm glad you defected."

"Me too. Oh Merlin, Harry and Ginny's faces when you and Pansy stepped over them, that was priceless."

"Definitely." The song ended, and the two friends moved to the side of the hall to continue talking.

"So how was your half term?" Asked Hermione.

"So so, it was nice spending time at home, and having Pansy there was great as well. She always seems pretty depressed after a holiday at the orphanage, so it was nice sparing her that."

"Is it a nasty place, the orphanage?"

"No, it's a nice place by all accounts. But she gets lonely, and she's different. Not many orphans go away to boarding school. How about you?"

"Well apart from getting back together with Severus, we finished the potion. So that was great. Apart from that, I've just been training really. Busy busy."

"Well that sounds like you."

Hermione looked over at him. "You're my best friend, you know that don't you. You made friends with me even when I was still a Gryffindor."

Draco looked baffled. "You're a great person Herms. You know I think that. What's with the heart to heart?"

"You are such a Slytherin man. I just wanted you to know it that's all."

Draco drew her into a hug. "Consider it known. And you're my best friend too ok? Blaise is alright, but he's never been completely on my wavelength."

Hermione felt a tap on her shoulder and let go of Draco, turning around to see who it was. Ginny was stood there, radiating indignation.

"I don't know how you did it…"

"You don't know many things Ginevra. Please be specific."

Ginny went red, and as she formulated an answer, Hermione noted that behind the redhead there were several angry looking Gryffindors, blocking Pansy from getting to Draco, and blocking her escape.

"I mean making me trip on the stair. I know it must have had something to do with you, you bitch. Did you want to be the centre of attention tonight that badly?"

Hermione smirked. "I don't need to generate extra attention. You provide enough by spreading rumours and gossip Ginevra. You're like my own personal PR agent."

Ginny was pushed to one side as Harry came forward to talk to her. "What Potter, was being upstaged for once in your life too much for you?" Hermione chuckled at Draco's question from behind her, but stopped abruptly when Harry shoved her back into Draco. His arms came up protectively round her as she stumbled.

"Tut tut." Said Harry spitefully. "Does Snape know you let Draco touch you like that? If I was him I wouldn't like my slut being with anyone else. "

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Back to the old Slytherin whore insults Potter? They really are getting a bit old. Draco and Pansy have the most solid relationship I know of, I wouldn't be friends with Pansy if I was with Draco behind her back now would I?"

Harry leered at her. "Who knows what Slytherins get up to? And I notice you didn't deny anything between you and Snape. We've all noticed your both in green."

"Green being the colour of the house we have in common you idiot." Hermione shot back. "Green is green, I imagine he's as proud of being Slytherin as I am."

"Hah." Said Ginny. "Who could be proud of being in the most detested house of Hogwarts?"

"Those who are sufficiently blessed to count themselves as members Miss Weasley." Said the softly intimidating voice of Severus. The small crowd of Gryffindors parted to reveal Severus, closely followed my Dumbledore, stalking towards them. "I imagine you believe that being Gryffindor is something to be proud of?"

"I- yes." Said Ginny.

"Then why would it come as any surprise to find the same level of pride in your peers feelings towards being Slytherin?"

"I, um. I don't know professor."

Severus glowered at her. "Perhaps you feel that being Slytherin is not something to be proud of? Perhaps you would like to inform me as to your reasons for such a hypothesis. And then I can demonstrate why we are, as you put it, the most detested house and put you in detention."

Hermione smirked.

"Severus." Interrupted Dumbledore. "I think it may be that Miss Weasley is just still smarting from the loss of Miss Grangers friendship, and did not mean to directly insult your house."

Severus bowed his head. "As you say headmaster."

Hermione piped up. "But I believe that starting a fight at a social function is not behaviour that should be ignored, even if she is under emotional stress from missing me. Ahem. I think, as you disagree with a detention, Miss Weasley should leave the ball early, as she obviously does not appreciate the effort that all the professors have put into it."

Dumbledore paused. "An excellent suggestion Miss Granger." Said Severus. "Firm but fair. I believe the head girl is correct Headmaster."

Dumbledore recognised he'd been backed into a corner. He could not exhibit favouritism, even though Severus could. "Indeed. Perhaps, Harry, if you could escort Miss Weasley back to the Gryffindor tower?"

"But sir…"

"Now please Harry." Said Dumbledore firmly. "She did begin an altercation in front of younger students. One cannot turn a blind eye." Harry took Ginny's arm rather roughly and dragged her out of the hall, her apologies echoing as they went.

"Mr Malfoy, Miss Granger." Dumbledore nodded at them and then walked away. Pansy pushed her way through the Gryffindors who were wandering off muttering angrily.

"You two alright?"

"Of course." Said Draco. "As if those oafs could get the better of us."

"You make quite a team." Said Pansy. "Who'd of thought it."

Hermione laughed. "Not me, that's for sure. What's the time Severus?"

"It's nearing midnight, so Miss Weasley hasn't actually missed much of the ball, just the last half hour or so."

"Perhaps, but she still suffered the indignity of missing the last dance, and being ordered to bed like a malcontent child."

Severus smirked. "No less than she deserved."

Blaise walked over, arm in arm with a pretty blonde from Ravenclaw, who was looking rather nervous. "I'm dancing the last dance with Anna-Marie Hermione, that's alright isn't it?"

Hermione grinned. "It's fine Blaise." Anna-Marie's face lost its nervous appearance immediately.

"Great. See you lot later."

Blaise headed off for the dance floor, followed by Draco and Pansy. Dumbledore chose that moment to announce the end of the ball, and the last dance. The lights dimmed to a soft glow, and the band began to play a slow melody that filled the hall to its very rafters. Dumbledore began the dance with McGonagall, and some of the braver students joined them. Severus turned to Hermione and offered his hand.

"May I have this dance Miss Granger?"

"I would be honoured Professor Snape."

She placed her hand in his and allowed herself to be led out onto the dance floor. Both were mindful that they couldn't dance as close as they would like, so they kept a respectable distance between each other, hands resting lightly on each others bodies. Hermione was aware of everyone's gazes on them, but ignored everything except the man she was dancing with. As the song progressed, the background dropped away, until all she was aware of was Severus, her hall blending into a blur of pink and gold in the soft candlelight.

Severus too was caught up in the moment, but noticed when their fellow dancers slowly came to a stop, choosing instead to watch them. Normally, he would have absconded any such public display, but for once he chose to disregard the spectacle he was making of himself, and enjoy dancing with the woman he loved. As the song came to an end, spun her round slowly slightly away from him, bringing her hand up to his face and kissing it lightly.

"Thank you Miss Granger."

"My pleasure sir."

Hermione came back down to earth with a start when he kissed her hand, and realised that most of the eyes in the hall were on them. Added to the flush of heat bought on by being so close to Severus, she now felt the slight prickle of embarrassment, and could feel her face threatening to blush. Not wanting to look self-conscious in front of everyone, she strolled out of the hall and out into the gardens that surrounded the castle. Se was aware that Severus was following close behind her, and slowed so he could catch up with her.

"That was so worth it." She said, when they were clear of eavesdroppers.

"We're certainly going to provide fodder for gossip for some time to come."

"Especially as you followed me out here." She turned and enveloped him a hug. "You put your reputation as git on the line for me. Thanks."

Severus held her tight, recognising with respect she had chosen a dark corner behind a tree before speaking so plainly. "I expect my reputation in that respect is safe. However my reputation in regard to being a lonesome, born bachelor may be under strain."

Hermione smiled against his chest. "Good."

Severus laughed then. "Hermione, you sometimes persist in a Gryffindor knack for plain speaking."

"You fell in love with me when I was Gryffindor. And although I'm a natural Slytherin, sometimes the Gryffindors have got it right. Honesty is occasionally the best policy."

"Occasionally." Agreed Severus. "So telling you in an honest manner that I'm about to kiss you is Gryffindor is it?"

"No." Said Hermione tilting her chin up to his lips. "It's just you."

Fully involved with each other, neither noticed Draco sneak up behind them. Pansy had excused herself to turn in for the night, so he had decided to trail after the couple, having nothing better to do. However when he came across them in a shady corner, he found he didn't have the heart to create a small rain cloud above them as he'd planned. His uncle looked so happy kissing Hermione, and Hermione seemed to glow with the very essence of love. Instead, he accioed the small camera he'd charmed to take pictures of the ball, one of Dumbledore's ideas, and took a picture of the two of them.

But he'd forgotten how bright a flash could be in the dark. The lovers jumped apart and spun round to face him. Severus was enraged until he saw who it was. He realised he'd petrified the boy without even thinking. Hermione slung her arm round his waist and lent against him leisurely.

"Oh Draco. I hope that there is a reason for taking a picture of a clandestine relationship that doesn't involve blackmail."

She unfroze him so he could reply. To her surprise he blushed beet-red, most unusual for a Slytherin, let alone a Malfoy.

"Well godson?" Asked Severus.

Draco sighed and spoke at speed in a resigned effort to get the truth out quickly, in the hope it would sound less amusing.

"I took a picture because you both looked so happy, and I wanted to print it for you specially. The camera's been going round the hall all evening, so there's bound to be one of you two dancing as well. No underhand schemes going on at all."

Hermione darted forward to look at the camera while Severus stood there slightly dumbfounded. It was bad enough he knew he was being intolerably sappy at times, now his god-son thought it was worth taking pictures of for posterity.

"Oh some of these are lovely, look there's one of Blaise and Anna-Marie, oh, Draco there's ones of us coming down the stairs as well, look there's Pansy stepping over Ginny!"

The camera printed all pictures automatically and immediately, dropping them into a box stuck to the bottom of it. Hermione had opened it and was rifling through the selection. Severus quashed the urge to look through them himself, and watched amused as Hermione picked out all incriminating ones, and a few that she seemed to like. She waved three in the air.

"I'll have these Draco, and the incriminating ones I've incinerated."

Draco shrugged. "Whish ones have you got?"

Hermione held them out so they could see. She had chosen one of the kiss, one of her and Severus dancing and one of her chatting with Severus, Draco, Pansy and Blaise, Ginny being dragged away angrily in the background.

"Any more I want I can duplicate later. I want them to go in the official book of photographs of this Ball, especially ones where we look fantastic and the Gryffindors look pathetic.

"Ok. Well I'm spending some time tomorrow doing it, in time for the younger years to see them when they arrive. You can look through them then."

"Great." Hermione yawned suddenly. "Sorry. I'm just a bit tired. Half term wasn't all that restful. I'll probably sleep all day tomorrow."

She gave Severus a kiss then disappeared with a faint pop. Draco rolled his eyes. "Show off. When will I learn to do that?"

"When you're old enough. Now if you will excuse me, I will also retire. I am not in the mood for chasing teenagers out of bushes tonight."

Hermione re-appeared in her bedroom. She fished out the photo frame her parents had bought her for Christmas, she hadn't put anything in it because she'd planned on getting a picture of herself with Draco and Severus, but what with one thing and another she hadn't got one. Now she had the added dilemma of choosing which picture to put in it. She didn't take long to decide that as it was a muggle object, it would enlarge itself to no ill effects. She transfigured it so there were 3 photo frames, stuck together at the edges. She put the one of her with everyone in the middle, then the ones of her and Severus on either side of it.

After changing into her pyjamas, she settled into her bed and stared at the frame in the moonlight. Then she turned over. She tried both her sides, her front and her back, but none of her usual positions seemed particularly comfortable. There was something missing. She'd adjusted to sleeping without Crookshanks fairly quickly, but she missed having Severus in her bed after one night. The mattress didn't dip on one side, telling her there was another heavy mass near her. The only heat came from her body, her breathing was the only breathing, her heartbeat the only heartbeat.

She tried once more to drift off, but when sleep failed to take her she jumped out of bed. She took the photo frame with her and went to the fire in the common room. She took a bit of floo powder and whispered into the flames.

"Severus Snape's private rooms."

The fire took her, and she stumbled out of Severus' fireplace awkwardly, forgetting the blast of air that warded his grate. She walked silently into his bedroom, and saw him sound asleep, one arm flung out to the side of the bed she'd slept in the night before. Moving slowly as not to disturb him, he was a spy after all, she placed the frame on his bedside cabinet, and slipped under the covers, moving his arm so she could wriggle underneath it. She held her breath, wondering if he'd wake. But all he did was mumble grunt something in his sleep and unconsciously move to make room for her.

Hermione, glad he subconsciously recognised her as a non-threat, snuggled in closer, and his arm wound itself round her waist. She fell asleep fairly quickly after that.


	14. Other points of view

6.00am

Severus woke early the morning after the ball, and was surprised to see Hermione in his bed, curled up in his arms. He lay still, gently stroking her hair as he thought. He was not a deep sleeper by nature, years of living as a spy had lent him nary a good nights sleep for thirty odd years. So she shouldn't have been able to join him without him waking and noticing. Merely having another presence in his room should have woken him. Briefly he toyed with the idea that he had been too drunk to notice, but dismissed it immediately. He hadn't drunk nearly enough for that to be the reason. Hermione stretched beside him, turner over so her back was to him, but continued to sleep.

Somewhat annoyed that he couldn't work out why he hadn't woken up, Severus carefully disentangled himself from her and sat up, legs on the cold floor. He stayed sat like that for a moment, and his annoyance slid away as he watched Hermione sleep.

_It's definitely not just lust like I hoped it was at the beginning. I'm in love with this young woman, despite this being the worst time ever to fall in love. The probability of both of us surviving this war…_

He shook his head to clear such morbid thoughts. As he did so, he noticed the picture frame on his bedside locker. He took a moment to study the images, something he hadn't done in front of Draco the night before. In spite of his natural aversion to seeing himself in pictures, he had to admit that he and Hermione made a striking couple, especially dressed in their best, matching in emerald green dancing in the candlelight.

_Merlin, I'm in over my head._

Then another thought popped into his head. _She's put it in my bedroom, that's practically moving in! _The bachelor in him balked at that, before settling down again when he realised that actually, he didn't mind. He washed and dressed swiftly, as he had an order meeting to attend in the morning, before the teachers had to be at Hogwarts to welcome the younger students back from the half term holiday. He penned a short note to Hermione and left it on his pillow, just as she had done. He bent and kissed her gently, then apparated out of his quarters with a quiet pop.

xoxoxoxox

7.00am

He arrived at the Burrow slightly later than he had anticipated and was the last to arrive. Albus gave him an odd look as he took his usual seat at the far end of the table. Severus noted it, but it was not one of the many looks he had come to understand, so he let it go for now until further information presented itself.

He scowled to see that Potter and his cronies had been included in the meeting. Potter began the meeting as usual by outlining his complete lack of progress in the horcrux hunt, and receiving encouraging comments from his fan club. This took some time. Snape curled his lip as the female Weasley stood and gave an impassioned speech about how hard Harry was working, and how other people could be helping him far more than they were. She shot a glance as him as she said that, and he felt it necessary to reply to her unspoken challenge.

He stood suddenly, and revelled in how she fell silent and sat, and all eyes went to him.

"Miss Weasley is perhaps referring to the only member of the order who has not been expressly working on the issue of the horcruxes, namely myself?"

Ginny went red. She had been referring to him obliquely, but hadn't expected him to pick her up on it.

"Perhaps Miss Weasley has forgotten what I have been working on? The potion that will strip Voldemort of his powers giving the 'chosen one'" he spat Harry's nickname with all possible venom, "a chance to defeat him. A task that unlike the horcrux task, has been successful."

Everyone sat up straighter at that. "You mean you have been successful in brewing it?" Asked Dumbledore.

Severus smiled. "No headmaster, I have not been successful."

"But you just said…" Started Harry.

"I have not been successful." Repeated Severus, a little louder. "But Hermione has been." He watched as the younger members faces immediately darkened, and the elder ones went blank, others less adept at hiding their emotions became suspicious.

"With my help of course, but by and large the potion has been her own work, she has worked on it alone while I have been busy with my teaching and spying duties. She is an immensely powerful witch." He smirked as a few people flinched at the reminder that the most powerful witch of the age was no longer completely on their side.

"In spite of her considerable talents, the potion can not be brewed to the same potency as the original from the sixteenth century. She worked out that the key ingredient for permanent power loss no longer exists, the creature needed to procure it now being extinct. However we have managed to get it to last for a maximum of 2 minutes and 15 seconds, no mean feat. It may well give us the margin we need to defeat the dark lord."

"Congratulations Severus." Said Dumbledore after a pause. "We shall of course give Hermione the top grade she requested for brewing the potion for her school project."

Severus bowed, and sat back down. Dumbledore lent forward and continued to speak to him. "On the subject of Miss Granger, I have a few questions I believe you are the best qualified to answer."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "And why would that be headmaster? Perhaps one of her friends would be better suited. Draco perhaps, or young Miss Parkinson."

"They were considered." Replied Dumbledore slowly. "But my intelligence suggests it is you who spends the most time with her, and is also one of her friends." He put a slight emphasis on the word friends, and Severus noted it. What did the old coot know?

"Very well." He replied. "I will answer to the best of my knowledge."

"I am sure you have noticed the immense changes that Miss Granger has undergone in the last term and a half."

"She has become agreeably Slytherin, I will grant you that."

"She's become a total bitch!" Interjected Ginny.

"Ginny! Watch your mouth." Said Molly.

"Well it's true." Muttered Ginny sulkily.

"I was indeed referring," continued Albus, "to her behavioural differences. Not that I would refer to them as Miss Weasley."

"I would say," say Severus, "that all she is done is grow up. It is unrealistic to expect her to be child she was when she first came to Hogwarts. As a young woman, she is asserting herself as an individual, through what she wears and the company she keeps. Friendships at that age do not always last. She told me that she felt, for the last few years, that she was acting the part of a Gryffindor, biting her tongue and acting correctly. Becoming a Slytherin was a great relief for her."

"Is that so?" Said Minerva. "Well you are welcome to her Severus."

Severus kept his face blank. The double meaning had not escaped him.

"It could just be that she is growing up," conceded Dumbledore, "but I fear there may be more to it."

"Oh?"

"Her interest in the witch burnings of the 16th century was the first clue. Why would she question what she'd been taught as a first year? All of us here know the truth of that matter, that those burnt were witches and wizards who bought dark magic into the world in order to take the magical ability of muggle borns, and were punished accordingly. But Hermione seemed to see the events things from their point of view, a most unsettling notion."

Severus mused darkly that Dumbledore's view of those events would certainly have convinced Potter and his cronies. If he hadn't told Hermione the truth, she may have been taken in too.

"When she gave up her line of questioning it was met with relief from all of us. When she chose to brew a potion, we thought her brief flirtation with the dark side was over. But then we learnt it was the very potion those first evil wizards used on the muggle borns. We said nothing at the time, because we recognised the potential of using it against Voldemort, but you can see why would be concerned. Then she joined Slytherin, and became good friends with sons of known death eaters. Can you see where I am going with this Severus?"

Severus could. Dumbledore had obviously put some thought into this, painting Hermione as an up and coming dark witch.

"I don't believe I do headmaster."

Albus sighed. "I believe Hermione is in grave danger of being seduced by the dark arts, and then by Voldemort himself, if she hasn't been already. Over the last few weeks she has disappeared from the castle alone on several occasions, without telling anyone. We know this thanks to the marauders map."

_I wonder why Dumbledore hasn't said that I'm often gone at the same time?_

"If she is meeting in secret with dark witches and wizards, she may be putting Hogwarts in danger."

"I do not believe Hermione has any interest in becoming a death eater."

"So if we were to examine her, we would find no dark mark tattoo?"

"Certainly not. As a masquerading death eater I would know if she'd been inducted."

"I'm glad to hear it. Next question, does Hermione have an interest in the dark arts?"

Severus opted for the truth. "Yes she does, few Slytherins don't, myself included. They hold a fascination for us. But she has not taken it to undue lengths."

"You would know this would you?"

"I would. Like you yourself said headmaster, I spend some amount of time with her, and she is my friend."

Albus fixed him with a steady gaze. "Have you yourself Severus, ever shown her, taught her, any dark magic."

_He knows I have. _"I have headmaster."

"SEE." Shouted Harry. "He's been brainwashing her or something."

"Sit down Potter." Said Severus calmly. "Make any more unfounded accusations like that and I will become angry."

"What have you taught her Severus?"

"A range of defensive spells, offensive spells and rather nasty potions."

"Why?"

"So she can help in the final battle. Unlike her old friends, she has realised that Death eaters using unforgivables are unlikely to be beaten by a woman using stunners."

"Have you taught her unforgivables?"

_Yes_. "No."

"So at this time," said Dumbledore, addressing all of the order. "Hermione has shown an unhealthy interest in the dark arts, which Severus had aided her in. But he has not taught her unforgivables, and is sure that she has no intention of becoming a death eater. She is not, currently at least, a threat. So, Severus have you named your potion?"

"Hermione has named her potion Sine Nomine."

"Marvellous. I disband this meeting at 11.15 am. Business closed." Everyone stood to leave, and Severus nodded at Dumbledore, letting him know he was on his way to a death eater meeting. Dumbledore watched him leave.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

12.45am

Back at Hogwarts, the junior members of the Order of the Phoenix met in the room of requirement to discuss their next steps.

"So Snape called her Hermione, not Miss Granger?" Asked Neville.

"That's right. And he kept saying how she had grown up, calling her a young woman and stuff. Which is interesting because he always calls us children in that nasty way of his." Replied Ginny.

"Did Dumbledore ask him about when he leaves the castle at the same time as her Harry?"

"No. He decided to keep that information to himself for now. I wish I knew how they got out. One minute they're in his classroom or his private study, the next minute they've gone. There's no passage out of that area in the dungeons."

None of the D.A knew about the secret Slytherin study, as the headmaster didn't know either. When Hermione and Severus were in there, it showed them as not being in the castle.

"I bet they're going to death eater meetings." Moaned Ron. "But how can we prove it?"

"By getting Hermione in here." Said Harry. "Last time we tried Veritaserum, Snape showed up and threatened us, if we were in here, he wouldn't be able to get in until we came out with the truth."

"So we grab her again."

"Exactly. If she's a death eater, we'll find her tattoo wherever she's hidden in. And if she's not, we'll find out what's going on in her head anyway."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

1pm

In the kitchens of Hogwarts, Dobby was addressing a large crowd of elves.

"Those of you who want to come and speak with my friend Hapsad," he squeaked, "may stay. Those who still believe elves should be slaves, beaten and insulted, you go right now!!"

It was a credit to Dobby and Hermione's hard work that only a few elves hurried off to work the laundry. Dobby disappeared with a crack, and then reappeared with Hapsad, who was dressed in clothes like Dobby, but had got them right. She was wearing a simple white blouse and a modest blue skirt. Her hair was neatly brushed with a blue clip keeping it off her face.

"Good morning fellow elves." She said. "My name is Hapsad, and I am here to tell you some of the most amazing things you have ever heard."

Hapsad recounted her life as a house elf, bought up by humans as an equal, before finding that her innate urge to serve could be satisfied as an employee. She then explained that when Dobby came to her with S.A.D, she had been amazed that other elves felt the way she did. She was not a freak; she was on the crest of the new wave of elves.

"I am proud to count myself amongst those elves who are committed to fighting for a fairer, safer, brighter future."

Hapsad realised she was crying with emotion. But then, so was Dobby, so was Winky, so was little Middy, who had been so happy to meet Hermione at her talk last week. So were most of the elves in the gargantuan kitchen.

"Fellow elves," cried Hapsad through her tears, "the wizards you serve are taking advantage of you. They choose not to see our capacity to be our own persons! They would have us be slaves forever. Even the supposedly wise and kind Albus Dumbledore had made no effort to fight this speciesism. But are those few who believe in us, believe in our cause."

"Miss Hermione!" Shouted Middy.

"Yes! Hermione was the first human other than my own family who I have ever met who saw our pain. And she has brought all of us together. She has taken our cause to humans, many human children are supporting us, making a better future possible."

"But she is only one." Said Winky sadly.

"But she is not alone." Said Dobby. "She has made friends with men and women who have power to change society."

Dobby then took over from Hapsad, and explained about the Shadows to every single elf present. Tom had chosen to take a gamble with the house elves. He knew he could help them, but to garner their help in the final battle, it was only fair they knew who and what they were fighting for. If any of them chose to bail, Hapsad had received permission to obliviate them. Too many humans knowing at this stage was dangerous, but the elves were trustworthy.

The elves listened attentively to Dobby without interrupting. Dobby explained about the division between the light, the dark, and those who used both to benefit everyone. By the time he had finished explaining, the elves tears had dried. They were wound up like a spring, ready to move into action on the side of the shadows. Dobby produced a document, which they all signed, it was a list of elves who wanted pay and holiday, which Dobby planned to give to Dumbledore.

Hapsad then called for silence.

"We are resolved then? We fight on the side of the Shadows in the final battle, in the knowledge that when they win, all magical creature will be treated equally with humans."

The assembled elves nodded solemnly.

"We will take our first day of holiday tomorrow." Said Dobby. "Then we will go to the Shadow headquarters and you can be formally inducted like I have." Dobby and Hapsad rolled up the sleeves on their clothes, and showed the shadow tattoo on their upper arms.

Xoxoxoxoxoxo

3pm

Hermione woke up, rolled over, and went back to sleep.

xoxoxoxoxox

3.30pm

"I'm not completely happy about this Albus." Said Aberforth. "Are you certain we can't defeat them in any other way?"

"It must be a final, decisive battle I'm afraid brother. There is no other way."

The two Dumbledore brothers were sat in Albus' office, discussing how they would end the war.

"But the prophecy says that one of us has to kill the other, and I don't particularly want to die."

"You forget brother, the prophecy speaks of Tom Riddle, not of you."

"But Harry doesn't know Voldemort and Tom are different people, and Tom is hardly going to arrive on the battlefield dressed up like Voldemort is he? And I, who will be dressed as Voldemort, will be there. I can't tell the death eaters I'm too chicken to face Harry."

"It will be fine. Tom will turn up, I'm sure of it. I'm almost certain he has a group of like-minded individuals with him, the battle will be the perfect opportunity for them to take out both the order and the death eaters, leaving the way clear for them to start culling muggle-borns left right and centre. We can find him, transfigure him into Voldemort, give him Miss Granger's potion somehow and then Harry can kill him. Easy. You can lead the attack, and then disappear in the general confusion. We can get rid of Severus and Miss Granger during the battle as well, I don't trust those two. I know Severus is loyal to me, but he keeps disappearing with Miss Granger, and she's been acting very strangely."

"I still think they're having an affair. It makes sense. She goes all Slytherin to impress him, and he sneaks her out of the castle for some alone time."

"Perhaps. But Severus? He is not the type to take advantage of a girl. He's an embittered man, with no heart. I manipulated his whole life to ensure he'd be the way he is, no sane person, capable of love would be prepared to do what he does. No, I doubt he's in love, or even in lust, with her."

"You manipulated his whole life?"

Albus gave his brother a look. "Aberforth, you know I've planned this war for years. I saw a youngster of eleven, broken from an unhappy childhood, and ensured his teenage years were no happier. The marauders bullying was no accident. He hates himself, so takes on suicidal mission. I'm surprised he hasn't died yet. That's why Miss Granger can mean nothing to him. If you can't love yourself, how can you love others?"

"Anyway this attack."

"Of course, well Harry needs more training, he'll be ready by the end of the last term of this school year. Plus, I want him to get good N.E.W.T's, can't have the chosen one doing badly in school. And a final battle before then would mess up his revision…"

Xoxoxoxoxoxo

4.02pm

The meeting of the D.A had taken longer than Harry had thought, and he was annoyed. Deciding Hermione needed to be interrogated had been easy enough, but choosing when to do it, how to get the Veritaserum, how to kidnap her without Snape knowing and what to do if she was a death eater had been a long process. Plus the elves for some reason had taken forever getting them lunch.

_But, by and large, things are going my way._ Thought Harry.

He turned a corner and saw Draco walking down the corridor towards him. And he was alone for once.

"Oi, Ferret! Long time no see."

He watched Draco slow down, and felt his ire rise as the poncy Slytherin dared to ignore him.

"Hey dumb blonde, I'm talking to you."

Malfoy acknowledged him. "Potter. Returning to finish your education? I doubt it somehow."

"Actually Malfoy, I'm tutored elsewhere. I have more important things to do that waste my free time on quidditch like you."

"That's fighting talk Potter. Actually dismissing the sport that was your sole reason for living not so long ago? I'm shocked."

"Not as shocked as you will be."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean plans are in motion Malfoy. You and your family are going to get it. I almost pity Hermione, she picked the losing side."

Draco just smirked, which angered Harry further.

"Actually Potter, Hermione made an inspired choice. Don't go thinking you are the only one to have given thought to the future. Hermione is happier than she has been for years, with true friends around her."

"I wouldn't call her customers friends. But I suppose if she's not paid for servicing you and Snape, she has to call you something."

To his frustration, the jibe that would once have had Draco leap to Hermione's defence made no impact.

"The whore joke. Ah yes. Still witty Potter, well done." Draco passed by him, and was out of sight when Harry heard him call back.

"At least my girlfriend hasn't had half the school. You should have stayed Potter, that Ginny's a firecracker without your supervision."

Harry turned and roared in anger, but Draco was sensibly long gone, chuckling to himself.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

10.43pm

Dear Diary,

The castle has been so tense today. Half the teachers were gone this morning, and so were loads of the Gryffindors. Draco reckons it was an order meeting. Hermione's not been around all day either; I haven't seen her since the ball. But Draco says she said she was going to sleep all day, so that's eased my mind a bit.

I wish I could do more to help her. She's got so much on her plate, at least the potions done. I mean, Severus is as smart as her, Draco's as adventurous. I'm not much of a help at all. I mean, I gave her some muscle soothers when her legs hurt from all that running, but that's not much. If she got really hurt she'd go to Pomfrey I'd expect. What's the use of spending my time boning up on medical stuff or Healer training next year when no one needs my help, even during a war! But I'm being selfish. I don't want her to get hurt. If I was older I could be of some use. But Draco and Hermione have early birthdays, mine isn't until June. What if the wars over by June!

Draco had a run in with Potter earlier. He makes my blood boil! I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be courageous and loyal, but that's not how he's acted at all recently. Look at Hermione for example! I know Slytherins are meant to be cunning and wily, but that's just a stereotype. And what's wrong with looking out for number one anyway? It's just honest. Just like we're honest about how cool the dark arts are. And we get a reputation for being evil! But I've ranted about that enough times lol. Whining again won't change things.

The house elves were acting strange again today. It was supposed to be an extra special meal, as all the younger years came back today, but they'd done lots of simple dishes. I mean they were still really yummy and expertly done, just not the extravagant things they like to show off with normally. And then dessert was late, we sat for ten minutes waiting! I don't know what's got into them! Even Dumbledore looked a bit confused. But Professor Snape was smirking, so I guess that's ok.

He was in a horrible mood earlier though. About 7pm he came into the common room and ranted in that very cold and quiet voice that Slytherin had to win the house cup this year. I mean we are! Well nearly. We're winning the quidditch anyway. The Gryffindor seeker is hopeless, Draco runs rings around her! But yeah, so I was glad he felt better during dinner. I don't envy Hermione I can tell you, he wouldn't be an easy man to live with!

Goodnight Diary.

Pansy

xoxoxoxoxo

Hermione was sat up reading when Severus came in. She'd slept all day like she'd threatened to, but Middy the house elf had bought her dinner. The little thing had seemed almost star struck, and Hermione had found it necessary to calm her down a bit. Somewhat refreshed, she's sat and read in the evening, waiting for Severus. She knew he'd been to several meetings that day, and wanted to hear the news.

He flopped down beside her on the sofa, and sat back with his eyes closed. He kicked off his boots and rested his feet on the coffee table.

"So what happened today?" Asked Hermione warily. He looked tired, and might not appreciate questioning.

"I went to the order meeting. No progress on Horcruxes, they're chuffed with the potion, Dumbledore was asking me questions about you, how far into the dark arts you were and whether you'd join the death eaters etc.

Then I went to a death eaters meeting. Aberforth kept us waiting for some time. Lucius and I talked, whilst the others 'played'. She was about 14. Then Aberforth arrived, and told us the final battle would take place at the end of the school year.

Then Lucius and I went on to a Shadow meeting and told Tom about the Death eaters meeting and the Order meeting. He is mulling things over; the house elves are planning to swear allegiance tomorrow. Then I came back here, vented in the Slytherin common room and ate dinner."

He opened one eye and looked at her. "Have you eaten?"

"Uh, yes. And slept. My day hasn't been as productive as yours I'm afraid."

"Good. You were looking tired." Severus closed his eye and settled back further into the sofa. Hermione prodded him.

"You are not going to sleep fully dressed on the sofa. Get up and go to bed."

"First you monopolize my beside cabinet, now you're nagging me." Severus sat up and sighed. "What am I doing?"

Hermione laughed. "Introducing, the old ball and chain."


	15. How time flies

With the potion finished, the house elves members of the Shadows and Evan Rosier in charge of the human side of S.A.D, Hermione found her workload drastically reduced over the second half of the second term. Head girl duties were now practically non-existent, as the first years were fully settled in, and there were no events for her to organise. Patrolling after curfew was just a time for her and Draco to chat and take points off unwary students. She once again ploughed ahead in her studies, further ahead in the course than all her peers. The workload of her N.E.W.T's posed few problems for her organised mind.

She spent her new free time with Pansy. As well as enjoying having a female friend her own age for the first time in years, Pansy had agreed to teach her what she knew about healing. Hermione would have done more training for the final battle with Severus, but he was busy with teaching, and couldn't spend as much time with her as he had during the holiday. Hermione had been surprised by how much Pansy knew, and told her so on many occasions.

"Does Madam Pomfrey know she's got the perfect assistant in you?"

"I tried. I went to her and asked if I could spend the odd weekend with her, just observing and helping fetch and carry bandages and stuff. For experience you know? But she turned me down flat. Fact is, Margaret Haddlesley asked a few years ago, I know she did because when Draco got attacked by the hippogriff she was in there every time I visited. So it's just she doesn't want a Slytherin. Margaret was a Ravenclaw you see."

"Bitch."

"Uhuh."

"So, the green abscesses suggest the use of a potion, and the purple of a hex?"

"Yep. And in the case of a hex, how does the treatment differ?"

xoxoxoxoxox

The first potions class since Hermione and Severus had got back together now loomed on her timetable. When they'd been flirting before their relationship had properly begun, lessons had been alright. They'd both instinctively kept themselves separate on the whole. But Hermione had crossed the line when trying to get through to him. She had taken their relationship into the classroom herself, and now wished she hadn't.

As she walked in with Draco and Pansy she briefly looked longingly at her old seat at the back of the room, but sat, as usual, right at the front of the class. Severus swept in, the door banging behind him. He strode to the front of the room and glowered at them all from behind his desk. Hermione felt rather than saw a few eyes dart between her and the professor. Clearly their dance at the ball had begun rumours.

"I hope you spent the half term break constructively; we will not revisit any of the potions we've already covered. If you do not learn them in the time I spend with you, then you ought to have perfected them in your own time. We will move on to the next group of potions that come up in N.E.W.T's…" He flicked his wand lazily at the board, "…the instructions for which are on the board. Begin. Accio homework."

Hermione glanced at the blackboard as everyone's parchments flew towards her lover and recognised a potion she'd already read up on. It was a predictably complex potion, and she looked over her shoulder and smirked at Ron and Neville, who were both copying down the instructions and looking panicky. Draco and Pansy also looked a bit unsure, but Hermione knew they'd do fine. It was relaxing studying potions with them, they preferred to pass or fail without help. A Slytherin stubbornness she welcomed.

Severus stayed behind his desk for the first hour of the double period, marking their homework. However, by the time her potion was nearly finished, he ran out of assignments. He rose from his chair and strode around the classroom, handing them back with a short comment, or even just a snort of contempt. Hermione, naturally, listened in. To her pleasure, none of the Gryffindors had done particularly well. She knew full well that others in Gryffindor borrowed Ron's homework after he had got it checked by her, and it looked like the loss of her help had filtered down the chain.

"If your work does not improve Weasley, then you can bid farewell to a future as an auror. They would not train someone with such an inaptitude for potions."

Hermione could almost hear Ron going red. But didn't turn round.

"Longbottom, tell me what is wrong with this assignment." Ordered Severus nastily.

"I, I'm not sure sir…"

"What is wrong Longbottom, is that I exhausted my supply of red ink on its numerous mistakes. This essay is a travesty. Both you two gentlemen will rewrite it, with an additional conclusion as to why your first attempts were so abysmal."

Hermione heard his footsteps come closer.

"Fair explanations Miss Parkinson, detailed and correct, but the conclusion is a little messily worded. Next time reread to ensure it reads better."

"Yes sir."

"Mr Malfoy, you missed a few of the antidotes, but otherwise another sterling piece of work. Well done."

"Thank you sir."

"Miss Granger."

Hermione looked up from her geranium roots. "Yes sir?"

Severus handed her the parchment, their hands brushed and she felt the jolt inside she always had when he touched her. He smiled down at her. "Once again, an exemplary essay. Perhaps you could make a mistake in your next one, so I feel there is a point to me setting you them."

Hermione grinned. "But then, what an earth would I do in my free evenings sir?"

Severus' mouth twitched, and Hermione's mind was flooded with a few choice images that made her blush.

"I'm sure you would busy yourself with something Miss Granger." He said softly, and walked away back towards his desk. "You have thirty minutes remaining."

xoxoxoxoxox

Hermione and Severus were very careful about being seen together, and never spoke in corridors or in class. Luckily, Severus didn't need to flap his mouth to talk to her, and instead made himself heard with images inside her head instead. This had the occasional side effect of making her smile or frown outside of the context of a conversation, confusing those around her.

At dinner they would catch each other's eye when everyone was distracted helping themselves, and he would silently ask if she would be joining him that night or not. More often than not Hermione would shake her head. She didn't want to risk not being in her room on the marauders map more often than she could help, however much she preferred sharing his bed. Plus, as head girl she needed to be I her room in case someone wanted her advice, a responsibility she wouldn't ignore. However when she gave a nod, his face would light up almost unnoticeably, and his eyes would darken enough for her to see it from her seat. After one incident where Hermione had made Severus choke on his drink in the middle of dinner after she'd sent a particularly vivid image to him, they reverted to a non-magically assisted look, then a nod or a shake.

"Though you did look funny when Madam Pomfrey rushed to your aid."

Severus grimaced. "The woman is certain I am cracking under the strain. It is…"

"Embarrassing? Humiliating?"

Severus sighed.

xoxoxoxoxox

Hermione had often wondered why it was the most opposing of houses were taught together. In this particular Transfiguration lesson, she found herself wondering again. Wouldn't it make far more sense to separate the Slytherins and Gryffindors in lessons, so animosity could be kept to a minimum? Forcing them together only caused friction. Slytherins would be better off with Ravenclaws, who would ignore their arrogance, and Hufflepuffs would probably flourish if not taught alongside with the more academic Ravenclaws, whose brilliance only fed their insecurities.

Hermione was sat at the back of the room with Draco. No one had argued with them when they had changed seats, even though it meant a general reshuffle as people had to move from seats they had got used to. The two of them would sit at the back, and do very little. They took notes, performed spells correctly and skilfully, Hermione picking them up before Draco and quietly helping him as she had once done with Ron and Harry. The difference being Draco thanked her every time. They never heckled McGonagall, didn't disrupt the class, and didn't volunteer answers unless asked directly. Which was rare.

They had found that all their teachers were ignoring them to levels beyond which she was used to. Hermione figured this wasn't a bad thing, and soon turned it to her amusement, needing something to do with herself as the term rolled by. She would make a point of not taking notes, of staring out of windows, of generally not paying attention. But then handing in faultless essays and performing brilliantly in practical tests. Draco joined her as partner in crime once he'd cottoned on she was doing it on purpose. They knew it irritated the hell out of everyone, so did it with relish. And in this particular lesson, it seemed their fun had come to boiling point.

Draco jogged the elbow she was leaning on as she stared out the window, and produced a pack of cards with a questioning glint in his eye. Hermione glanced at the front of the class where Professor McGonagall was helping Neville. With an answering grin she nodded. Draco dealt quickly, and the two of them began a game of gin rummy. Exploding snap was for those without brains as far as they were concerned. As they played, Hermione mused that having Draco around was a real boon. He wasn't as smart as her sure, but he could keep up with her academically, and didn't see her extra-curricular studies as time wasting showing off. He would just shake his head in amused wonder.

Draco put down a run of 4 cards, the 6, 7, 8 and 9 of hearts. With a whoop, Hermione added her 10 of hearts to his run, then put down the rest of her hand with a flourish. Her cry of victory caught the attention of the classmates.

"Professor." Said Padma. "Professor, Hermione and Draco are playing cards."

Hermione watched her professor straighten up out of the corner of her eye, and suppressed the grin she felt coming. Instead, with a Slytherin arrogance, she ignored Padma and slowly collected up the cards, ready to deal another hand. She waited with interest, McGonagall usually overlooked her and Draco's behaviour, but she couldn't not act now it had been pointed out to her. McGonagall seemed to have come to the same conclusion, and marched up to their desk.

"Just what do you think you are doing Miss Granger?"

Hermione had got halfway through dealing the second hand, and pretended to jump, as if startled.

"You know, you're right. I'm most terribly sorry Professor. How rude of me."

She gathered up the cards and shuffled them swiftly, passing them to Draco.

"Draco, I won so it's your turn to deal. And deal in Professor McGonagall too, it was an inexcusable oversight of mine not to include her in the first place."

Draco took the cards and pointedly dealt McGonagall first.

"I will not have such a blatant disregard of classroom behaviour in my lessons you two, this is a place of learning, not of infantile card games." Shrilled McGonagall.

Draco paused, and placed the cards in the middle of the desk.

Hermione put a hand to her mouth in obviously feigned shock. "Oh Professor! I thought you understood. We only play infantile card games because we can already do everything on the syllabus. That's what I meant when I said it was an oversight not to allow you to join us, I assumed you can do everything on the syllabus too."

McGonagall pursed her lips in disbelief. "We are only just coming up to the Easter holidays Miss Granger, do you mean to tell me you and Mr Malfoy can do everything I plan to teach all the way up to the exams?"

"Yes." Said Draco, in an amused aristocratic drawl. "We can."

With a flick of his wand he transfigured the cards in front of him into 52 differently patterned butterflies, and sent them round the classroom, changing them first into parrots, then into flying pigs, before returning them into cards as they dropped into their case.

"In that demonstration," he continued, "I coordinated 52 separate inanimate items into becoming unique life forms, with their own patterns and markings etc, controlling their flight, whilst simultaneously changing them up the evolutionary ladder from insect, to bird, to mammal. Changing their form and mass in mid-flight, before returning them to their original state. Oh, and flying pigs don't even exist, so that's doubly impressive for extra credit."

Hermione then waved her wand, and all the furniture, decorations and learning instruments in the room simultaneously morphed, so that the students suddenly found themselves in a perfect replica o their potions classroom. Hermione then flicked her wand, adding a twist of the wrist to the end, and before their eyes McGonagall's chair at the front of the class became a life size Professor Snape. He scowled at the class, waved his arm to produce instruction on the board, and with a voice somehow reminiscent of the dark wood he had been moments before, instructed them to begin brewing. With a second wave, Hermione restored the classroom to its original state.

"I won't bother explaining what I did there." She said proudly. "Suffice to say, it exceeds the standard expectations for the highest marks one can achieve in one's transfiguration N.E.W.T. I thin you'll agree, Draco and I are automatic 'O's and really don't need to be spending an hour turning kittens into matchsticks."

McGonagall unfroze from her stance of shock, and frowned at them. "Be that as it may Miss Granger, but I will still confiscate those cards, and take twenty points from Slytherin."

"That is your right I suppose." Said Draco as he watched his cards disappear. "But, as head boy, I feel I should award Miss Granger 10 points for such a impressive show of magical ability."

"And I, as head girl, after witnessing Mr Malfoys likewise impressive skill feel obliged to do the same. 10 points to Slytherin." She smiled innocently up at McGonagall. "They were such pretty butterflies."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Hermione was sat in the Slytherin common room with all her friends, discussing the first edition of the S.A.D newsletter. Pansy had been gathering information during the weeks back at school and now had enough to fill it's pages, and make it worth producing. A fifth year called Sasha had shyly offered to do some illustrations, and Pansy was proudly showing their combined efforts off to the whole room.

"It's an impressive drawing of a giant Sasha." Said Hermione, eyeing it carefully. "When have you had a chance to see one up close?"

"I haven't." She admitted. "I just imagined Hagrid with less clothes, more muscles and a bigger body."

Hermione laughed. "That was brave, imagining Hagrid with less clothes."

Sasha turned beet red. "I wasn't…I mean not like that."

"She knows." Said Pansy. "She's just teasing. It's a Gryffindor thing, it wasn't an insult."

Hermione was about to argue against unfavourable comparisons with her ex-house when there was a tentative knock at the portrait hole. None of the other houses ever visited their common room, to ask friends out for a walk on the grounds or to join them for dinner, and no Slytherin ever forgot their password. So anyone knocking was very unusual. Draco rose and marched over to the door, pulling it open suspiciously. In front of him was a small group of Ravenclaw third years, obviously terrified, but standing their ground. One of them was pushed a little further forward and cleared her throat nervously.

"Hello. Um, could we buy a few S.A.D newsletters please Mr Malfoy?"

Draco's threatening stance eased, and he opened the door fully. "Of course. How many?"

"Um, four please."

Pansy jumped up with a number of newsletters in her hand, and walked over. "Here you are Miss Limberne. That's a sickle each please." She dug in he pocket and pulled out some badges and a piece of parchment. "And if your would like to join S.A.D, gaining permanent membership and automatic delivery of subsequent newsletters, please sign here, its an extra sickle each and you get a free badge. Plus you won't have to come down to the dungeons every fortnight either." She added, with a knowing grin.

The girls smiled up at her bashfully. Hermione switched her attention as the girls started to sign the parchment, and concentrated on an article penned by Draco on the origins of S.A.D as her own S.P.E.W campaign.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

The weeks passed by and Hermione almost became accustomed to normal school life again. Her extra-curricular studies kept her mind occupied when she had exhausted the N.E.W.T curriculum, and she worked as hard as she once did on her essays on healing, occlumancy and duelling. When Pansy couldn't teach her anymore, she attacked the library with vigour, when Severus had perfected her use of occlumancy, she learnt more about it by teaching others; and when Severus was busy, she practised duelling and all the spell work that went with it in the room of requirement on her own.

Occasionally Severus would present her with a list of potions he needed, either for the order, the shadows, the death eaters or all three. It had amused her how often all three required the same potions, as they all used the same spells against each other.

She found diversion from perfecting her warcraft skills in Shadow meetings. There had only been a few, but she attended gratefully, and had taken the well-meaning jibes about her and Severus in her stride. She had been present when a large number of the elves from Hogwarts had been inducted into the Shadows, and had taken an active part in discussions about how they would approach the final battle. But knowing when and where it would be meant it wasn't particularly urgent a discussion.

After all, they knew what the order had planned, how many aurors there would be, what formation they'd fight in, what their goals were, and Severus and Lucius ensured they knew all about the death eaters in the same way. It would not be difficult for them to strategise their approach within a few hours before the event, using all the last minute information their operatives would provide for them, so long term planning was unnecessary.

Basically, Shadow meetings were a time for spies to let their guard down and be themselves, and all the members who had to feign ignorance or dislike of each other in real life to socialise. Those in hiding could collect supplies and spruce themselves up, operatives could report and Hermione could bask in the feeling of belonging and friendship. The gossip she received from Narcissa and Percy was always satisfyingly juicy, and Evan never failed to crack her up with a few anecdotes. She never did bother smoking pot with some of the others, because she felt she didn't need to. She was perfectly relaxed in her surroundings away from Hogwarts; no artificial means were necessary. And when she apparated back with Severus, she could finish the evening in his quarters, where they could continue to be themselves and enjoy each others company, if only for a little while.

By the time the Easter holidays were upon them, and the castle once again emptied as families flocked together, hoping it wouldn't be for the last time, Hermione was happier than she had been in months. Dumbledore had told the school at the leaving feast that there would be no half term holiday in the final term, as intelligence suggested death eater activity would be on the increase at that time. There had been groans from all the tables, and Hermione had joined in at first, annoyed she wouldn't have the weeks break from tedious monotony. But then she realised that it meant that this holiday, Easter, would be the last time the Weasleys all got together before the final battle, which meant be default, it was the last time they'd all be together at all. Because even if they all survived the slaughter, she didn't mean to let Ron and Ginny go unscathed. With that cheerful feeling, she waved the last carriage of students of the grounds.


	16. Dates and Discovery

"Not a chance." Said Hermione firmly.

"Why not? I would have thought a night away from the castle would be something you'd appreciate. You haven't gone anywhere except for meetings for months."

"I'm suspicious of surprises."

"Well I can put your mind at rest, this is a good one."

"So tell me what it is now, and I can be surprised now."

Hermione and Severus were in his potions lab, putting the finishing touches to a batch of wolfsbane for Lupin during the quiet Easter holidays. Everyone who had somewhere to go had left the castle, as even Hogsmeade visits in the coming term were to be banned. Pansy had even regretfully decided to go back to her orphanage for the last time, to sort out paperwork ascertaining to her status after she'd turned 18, and would no longer be able to go there. Hermione hadn't minded the solitude, her and Severus usually breakfasted together in various states of undress in his quarters, worked on potions during the morning and relaxed in the afternoons, pottering around reading or going for runs.

But Severus seems to think, as I'm young I suppose, I should be doing more sociable things. Damned surprises.

"If I told you what it was precisely how would it be a surprise? Look, as a spy who is also professionally wary of surprises, I can assure you it's tolerable at the very least."

Hermione chewed her lip for a moment hesitantly, but then her expression cleared. She decided to go along with it, and if it turned out to be horrifically embarrassing or irritating he'd just get it back in the future. Tenfold.

"Fine." She sighed. "Your mastery of the act of persuasion has convinced me. Can I at least know how I should attire myself for this outing?"

"Muggle casual." He answered smugly. "Definitely."

xxx

Hermione purposefully took her time getting changed out of her robes. Partly to annoy Severus a little bit, and partly because she'd realised what he was doing. This was their first date. He'd asked her out to a mystery location, just the two of them; unlike Shadow meetings. But casual meant he wasn't doing the dinner and dancing she might have expected of a wizard….

She settled on some loose fitting jeans and a dark green vest top, and shrugged on a black hoodie. It was quite thin, not a full jumper, which meant she might get a bit chilled, but the cold didn't normally bother her. Which was partly why she liked the dungeons so much. It was easy for her to overheat in other rooms, especially with the roaring fires that littered the castle. Her bad temper in divination so many years ago could partly be attributed to the heat of so many candles and fires which had made her grouchy.

When she flooed back to Severus he was waiting for her impatiently. She noticed immediately his muggle outfit, which he had got right, much to her delight. Although wizards and witches of her generation managed to get muggle clothes right, those of Severus' tended to get it embarrassingly wrong, she'd seen someone in a poncho and kilt at the world cup after all. And that man wearing a woman's night dress… So seeing Severus in black trousers, a white shirt and a neat brown jacket was something of a relief.

"You look good." She said conversationally. "Robes hide your figure you know, you should wear these round Hogwarts."

Severus scowled. "I prefer the shape and authority that robes provide. Plus the additional security of being able to hide more weapons."

"And of course you are quietly aware of how intimidating robes make you as they billow out behind you as you sweep down on some poor, unsuspecting first year Hufflepuff?"

He smirked. "That too of course. Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be. Where did you say we were going again?"

Severus shook his head. "Pathetic attempt. A good thing we didn't decide to let you spy on the order."

Hermione grinned. "Well it was worth a try. Are we apparating?"

"Yes, but you'll have to side-along."

Hermione wrapped herself around him, interlocking her fingers with his. She closed her eyes for the actual apparition, as it was uncomfortable when you weren't the one in control. When she opened them again she was briefly struck dumb by her surroundings.

"Gee Severus, you shouldn't have." She quipped, looking around at the dark, dirty alleyway, trying to ignore the smell of a nearby overflowing dumpster. "Real classy."

Severus gave her a playful smack round the head. "Impertinence. Follow me."

He took her round the side of the large brick building, and they emerged into a brightly lit shopping street. Hermione noted the familiar yet unfamiliar muggle shops, how long had it been since she'd seen a Topshop, or a Woolworths, or even a McDonalds? She caught up with her man as he strode through a door, holding it open for her. She blinked, and laughed.

"A cinema?"

Severus looked unsure for a moment before he regained his composure. "I decided to do some research into muggle culture when we, you know; muggle courtship rituals in particular. The perusal of a cinematic performance is meant to be something of a classic first outing of a couple."

Hermione took his hand and squeezed it tight. "Going to the movies is a perfect first date Severus. Thank you, I love it. Maybe, as a second date, we could go on a classic wizard first date? Do things properly both ways."

Severus raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You want to go to a professional quidditch match?"

Hermione wrinkled her nose. "Perhaps not then. On balance, I do prefer muggle first dates." She looked up and read the electronic words detailing what was on offer. "Well there's not much of a choice, most of these films are part of a series so you won't know what's going on, Pirates of the Caribbean 3, Shrek 3…and I don't think you'd appreciate Transformers or Hairspray…hmm."

"How about Larry Botter and the Bullies on Cherry Tree Avenue?"

"That's about an orphan boy who was bought up by eccentric aunt an uncle who thought they were magical. He was home schooled, and convinced he was a wizard until he turned 11 and social services took him away and told him the truth. (You're a schoolboy Larry). He goes off to boarding school and learns how to be normal. It's another series I'm afraid, this the fifth."

"Seems like an inversion of a certain…"

"It's wizards in Hollywood having a laugh. It's not really big news because how many wizards go to muggle cinema?"

Are there no films suitable then?" Asked Severus in irritation.

"Yes!" Said Hermione suddenly. "There's a special on."

"What is that?"

"It's an older films they put on for an evening or so for people who missed it when it first came out. It's not normally a very good film, so we've struck gold."

Severus peered at the screen. "Children of Men?" He looked down at her. "Are not all people children of men?"

"It's a society eighteen years into a period of time where there have been no children born. No children of men."

Severus perked up a bit. "Interesting premise."

"It's the thinking mans blockbuster. Can I assume you're paying?"

x.x.x.x.x.x.

"Surely not all muggles have such a depressive view of mankind?"

They had left the cinema in silence, contemplating what they had seen, but in a nearby café they had woken up and started discussing it.

Hermione smirked. "No, just the intelligent ones. And it wasn't all depressing. Look at Theo, and Julienne…and wotshername, the midwife. Ordinary people undergoing extraordinary things to make the world a better place."

"Just like us." said Severus quietly.

"Exactly like us." Agreed Hermione firmly. "The few who do things for the betterment of the many. Theo didn't want to help, he didn't want to fight the government, but he basically became a freedom fighter for one woman and her baby."

"You identify with him, don't you Hermione?"

Hermione looked down at her cup of coffee in thought. "In a way. I wanted to help Harry, but the reality of actually fighting hadn't dawned on me. I was young, and I couldn't see the future as clearly, those I trusted had obscured it. But now, like Theo, I found the truth and am ready and willing to fight. His truth was a pregnancy. My truth was you."

"Well unlike Theo, I have no intention of letting you die. So do you have anything planned for the aftermath of out final battle? The shadows are going to be pushed into one, and you find your loyalties revealed irrevocably. You'll be fighting side by side with the Malfoys for starters!"

Hermione smiled. "Yeah that'll be fun explaining. Or maybe I'll just refuse to explain, let them stew. After the final battle…well up until recently I hadn't given it much thought at all, my plans for any future after this year were sketchy at best."

"And now?"

"Well apart from wreaking my revenge on Harry, Ron, Ginny and Neville, I'm not sure."

"What do you have planned for them?" Severus bade himself dismiss the pang in his heart that she had given no thought to their future for the moment.

Hermione grinned evilly and he smirked in response.

"On second thoughts, don't tell me. If I know you at all, then that beautiful smile tells me it's illegal."

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

Severus had just laid his head on his pillow, and was kissing Hermione goodnight after shagging her senseless when an owl hooted outside his window, and he wearily got up and answered it, taking the message from it's leg.

"Who's it from?" Asked Hermione, extricating herself from his bed and standing next to him, shivering slightly from the drafts on her naked skin.

Severus held her in his arms, and read the note out to her.

"_My Boy,_

_I apologise for the lateness of the hour. But there is something of some import I wish to speak to you about. Please come to my office immediately._

_Albus._

"I dare you not to go." Said Hermione softly, kissing his neck.

"Hermione…" He chided, burying his face in her hair.

"Double dare you." She murmured, nibbling gently on his ear.

He sighed happily and met her teasing mouth with his own. A minute or so later, he pulled back and placed his hands on either side of her face, examining her lust glazed eyes and swollen lips. "Incorrigible wrench." He said lovingly.

"Triple dare you." She said, licking her lips.

He let her go, and began dressing. She turned and collapsed onto their bed, lying temptingly above the covers so he couldn't ignore what he was leaving behind. "If you won't do your dare, I get to choose a forfeit."

He gave her a quick peck on the mouth before fastening his robes. "Then I suggest you choose one we will both enjoy." He left his bedroom, and closed his eyes for a moment, settling himself back into the familiar character he had so carefully nurtured, the ill-tempered, sarcastic bastard who was most definitely, and above all else, a bachelor. Satisfied, he left his quarters and marched quickly up the headmasters office.

What could it be about at this hour, information he wants me to pass onto Aberforth perhaps? Or a potion he needs urgently maybe, an order member whose damaged themselves in some way…

"Marshmallow maggots." He said sharply to the gargoyle at the entrance, and passed up the winding stair. Dumbledore was sat behind his desk, the very picture of gentility and trustworthiness.

"Ah Severus, good-evening."

"Headmaster." He replied, nodding his head in greeting. He conjured up a chair and sat down. "How is it that I can be of service this late at night?"

Dumbledore shook his head solemnly. "My dear boy. I'm afraid it is more what I can do for you."

Severus said nothing, and waited for the master manipulator to get to the point.

"I'm sorry to say that information has come to my attention that I cannot ignore. It is my duty to act you see, though it pains me to have called you here tonight. Vindly, come out please."

Severus watched a house-elf emerged from behind a chair it had been hiding behind, and bowed to them both.

"Masters." He greeted them both politely.

"Vindly here inadvertently revealed something to me tonight. There I was Severus, tucked up in bed, when a sudden urge for some piping hot coffee came upon me. I know it wouldn't help me sleep, but it is a chilly night and I didn't fancy hot chocolate. I called up young Vindly here and asked him for some."

Severus was listening carefully to see where this was going, but was as yet at a loss.

"Well Vindly came and when I asked him he became most upset, banging his head and such, the house-elf way you understand. I saw then that he was unable to get me any coffee, which surprised me, because only 6th years and professors can drink it because of its addictive properties on younger children especially. So naturally, I asked him where it was all going."

Severus had an inkling now of where these ramblings were going, but kept silent.

"He explained to me, and I quote, that Professor Snape and Miss Granger have been drinking awful lots of coffee sir, they seems to needs to stay wake long nights! Shall Vindly go to their quarters and ask them not to drink so much?"

Severus carefully kept his face neutral, though inside he sighed in understanding. Dumbledore lent forward and peered over the top of his half-moon glasses, looking concerned.

"You see my reason for calling you here tonight Severus? Vindly here said 'their quarters'. Now a house-elf would not confuse your classroom, or even you private study for your personal quarters. Nor would he refer to them in any way as other than professor Snape's quarters. His use of the plural 'their' suggests that Miss Granger has been spending time in your personal quarters. Quite a lot of time for an elf to refer to it as belonging to both of you. Certainly she would have to spend many nights there. Thank you Vindly you may go."

Dumbledore sighed, as if the words he spoke weighed heavily on him. "Many of the staff have noticed how you are slightly more agreeable Severus, but none of us dreamed it was due to an affair with a student. Have you anything to say that will profess your innocence in this matter?"

Severus swiftly looked at his options.

_Dumbledore's story of Vindly and the coffee is evidently a load of rubbish, pure make-believe, but cleverly presented by Dumbledore so that it could actually be truth. Hermione has spent sufficient nights in my bed to be counted as a permanent occupier of my quarters. And we do drink a fair amount of coffee, with the amount of work we do on top of our physical training how could we not? Magical stimulant are dangerous with too much use. But anyway, Dumbledore would have found out another way, some way he doesn't want to reveal to me. Whatever the case, Dumbledore knows for certain or I would not be here now. But what was it he said before…_

"You said tonight was about what you could do for me Headmaster?"

_There. Between the two of us that's a confession of guilt. Why bother to deny? I am having an affair with a student, which calls for my immediate sacking, and a public inquiry. Her age and maturity is immaterial, our positions as student and teacher are not. _

Dumbledore looked pleased to have presented with no resistance. Severus had confessed to a sexual relationship with the girl straight away. He would never have believed it, but after his conversation with Aberforth about the possibility he'd followed it up with his own investigations, just in case. Fancy Snape pulling a girl half his age!

"Well my boy, obviously giving you sack is not my intention, or my wish. Miss Granger is an intelligent girl, I'm sure she knows what she's doing. And I have no doubts that you have taken advantage of her at all. Apart from that, you are a friend of mine, and are also invaluable to the order. I cannot have you waiting for a sentence in Azkaban can I?"

_Ah, so now we get to the crux of it_. Thought Severus.

"So even although a relationship between the head of Slytherin and the Slytherin head girl is some of the most interesting gossip I've come across for quite some time; I will keep this our little secret Severus, it's the least I can do."

Severus allowed himself to display a grateful smile, and bowed his head, simulating relief.

"However…"

Severus looked up again at the old man, awaiting the proviso, the condition, he knew was coming.

"We can also use your fortunate relationship to our advantage. Perhaps you could use your influence with Hermione to persuade her to join the order in the final battle. I know she says she's only fight to defend the students, but I have heard reports from witnesses of your, ahem, training sessions, that Hermione is becoming fairly proficient at duelling. She'd be a real asset to our side Severus, think upon it."

Severus frowned for the old man, ignoring the suggestive 'ahem'. "I will do my best Albus. And thank you for your…discretion."

Inwardly he was laughing. Although Dumbledore's demand was a trifle, and more was bound to be on the horizon now he had the perfect information to bribe him with, he was amused that Dumbledore thought anyone could influence Hermione to do anything she didn't want to.

"Thank you my boy, now I will wish you goodnight."

Severus rose to leave and just as he was passing out through the door, Dumbledore called out after him.

"And my boy, there are other things than coffee to help a man keep up with a younger lover!"


	17. Why Harry has been such a git

"What a load of rubbish."

"That's what I thought."

"I mean, Dumbledore has blatantly known we're together for months, if he hadn't I'd be very surprised. I've been waiting for something like this to happen for ages. Though I expected something a bit more interesting than you being asked to convince me to re-join the order."

"It's just the beginning. You remember a while back I told you how he was planning to firmly place you in a category he could deal with by having you approached by death eaters?"

"Of course I remember. He could get rid of me one way or another, either by having Aberforth kill me for refusing to join them, or if I joined, having me killed in a death eater bust. I have wondered why nothing came of that."

"I too have wondered, it was, from his point of view, the perfect solution. I decided he wanted to keep you alive until we'd finished the potion, but he now knows we've done that. I think either he had abandoned that plan it favour of something else, or he has changed his mind and intends to use our love against us somehow."

Hermione thought for a while.

"I think he has abandoned that plan. Or he would have acted, or got Draco and other 'death eaters' to start buttering me up in preparation. That hasn't happened, and the end of the school year is coming quickly now. Once Easter is over, its only a few months away."

Severus nodded in agreement. "He's probably dropped it because he figures you can be more useful alive, if you are under my control. And he has no reason to believe I am not a loyal order member."

"So, he knows and now we know he knows from his own mouth. The question is, does the rest of the Order know, and will the death eaters be allowed to find out?"

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

"WHAT." Yelled Molly, rising from her seat.

"Eww, Oh Merlin!" Shrieked Ginny.

"It's true I'm afraid, he admitted it to me himself late last night."

Molly fanned herself vigorously with a piece of parchment in an attempt to cool down her anger. "It all makes sense now, that utter cad seduced her, and she defected to Slytherin because of him."

"She started acting weird just after she started working on her project with him." Said Harry. "It all fits."

"He was always around when she blew me off." Said Ron. "He split us up!"

"Oh my poor baby." Said Molly, enveloping Ron in a hug.

"Are you sure Albus?" Asked Lupin. "I only ask because, well, it's Snape. He's not the most attractive of men."

"He scrubs up alright." Said Tonks. "You saw him the night he picked Hermione up at New Years, to take her to the Malfoys ball, you remember? He looked pretty damn fine then. So did she come to think of it."

"I believe their attraction was sparked by the equal intellectualism." Said Dumbledore evenly. "They were a match for each other. And the allure of the dark side is a difficult one to overcome."

Harry looked ill. "I was only joking about her sleeping with him," he said miserably. "What if I put the thought in her head?"

Ron paled. "Hermione, with him? The greasy bat? The git? How could she!"

"This is an unacceptable security risk Albus." Said Moody. If that girl is susceptible to black magic, and she's sleeping with our spy… He could be sleeping with the enemy and being pumped for information."

"I do not believe she will join the death eaters." Said Dumbledore. "Though I am aware of ongoing investigations in that area." He looked at Ginny and Ron with a shrewd look and they both flushed.

"We're, I mean, not in a…"

Albus silenced them with a look. "I am condoning nothing, _should it come to my attention_." He said carefully. Ron looked confused but Ginny smirked.

_Yes! Permission to rough her up a bit, now I can pay her back for the ball. I knew they were shagging, I knew it! _She thought.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

"I told you so."

"Yeah alright Aberforth. But I proved it."

"So am I telling the death eaters?"

"Why not? It'll get back to them eventually through the gossip of their children. Severus will be expecting it. He is to be tortured for contaminating his body with a muggle-born, but not killed because Miss Granger could be an asset in the final battle, Voldemort is never one to pass by any edge is he?"

"How did the Order take it?"

"Outrage, disgust, anger and remorse they didn't see it coming and stop it mostly. Nymphradora however seemed intrigued. It was her who fancied Severus a while back though so that doesn't overly concern me."

"Bet Lupin loved that."

"He stayed diplomatically quiet."

The two men chuckled. They were both bachelors and neither understood why a man would tie themselves to a woman. Albus had his network of manipulation to keep him occupied, and Aberforth…well Aberforth had his goat.

"What of Harry? He's been thoroughly opposed to Hermione for so long, he isn't going to try and win her back from Snape, now he thinks she was seduced by him or something?"

"No, He won't. I talked to him a long time ago about Hermione, to cover the eventuality that she try and turn him against us too."

**Flashback to earlier that year**

_Harry was sat across from Dumbledore at the dining table of the Burrow, everyone else having been shut out. It was months before, the day after Hermione had come to him in his office, asking questions about the truth regarding the witch burnings of the 16__th__ century. She had confronted him head on with what he had hoped she would not learn, that dark magic originated with those witches and wizards who tried to keep the number of muggle-borns to a minimum by taking their powers before they knew they had them, and that they were burnt for their efforts. His evasive answer that Voldemort would love to have her believe dark magic originated with people who had a moral cause had obviously fallen on sceptical ears._

Dumbledore had been at a loss as to where she had found this information. Her story that she'd found a book was a falsehood if ever he'd heard one, but no members of staff would have filled her in. Even Severus, who had originally backed her investigations into this area had agreed to toe the line when Albus himself had spoken to him, warning him off in no uncertain terms. He suspected she'd gone to the room of requirement asking for forbidden texts on the matter, but couldn't prove it now. But now she had found the truth, that the side of the light had burnt wizards and witches, he had to act. If she convinced Harry of what she had learnt, the chosen one could well slip out of his control, and Harry was far too valuable for that.

"_I've called you here about Hermione Harry."_

_Harry looked worried. _

"_I know she's been acting really strangely, Ron's been telling me about how she's been chummy with Slytherins, and that Snape's been taking far too much of an interest in Hermione's project."_

"_How do you feel about that?" Probed Dumbledore carefully._

"_I didn't really believe Ron at first. He's pretty paranoid about Hermione's affections. But when they all came over for that meeting at half term she did seem different. It was the way she held herself, she was more confident – not that that would be a bad thing, but it was a superior kind of confidence. I was a bit pissed that her project was causing everyone so much grief; it was obviously a bad idea because none of the teachers wanted anything to do with it except Snape. So when she said she'd changed it I was happy, until she chose to go shopping with Snape over a butterbeer with me and Ron."_

_Dumbledore nodded, pleased. Harry had the opinions of Hermione he hoped he would have, suspicion and confusion, leaving him with an easily manipulated view of his soon to be ex-best friend._

"_I am afraid to say that some of your fears may be well founded Harry." he said sadly. "Hermione has allowed her thirst for new knowledge to leave her open to manipulation by our enemies."_

"_Malfoy?"_

"_Is one of them, yes I believe so. Hermione has always been very intelligent, and unfortunately, those among us who find themselves unchallenged by magic, who find it easy to master, are often tempted more by the dark arts than their peers. Hermione has always been on the look-out for the next challenge. I think that Voldemort picked up on that, and sent intermediaries to turn Hermione against us. she is a very powerful witch, if she defects to the dark side it will be very bad for us, and very good for Voldemort."_

"_NO! Not Hermione, I mean, she wouldn't."_

"_She would have been approached so slowly, so subtly, she may not have noticed what was going on. First some of the Slytherins would have been less rude to her, I know that she has quite a friendship brewing with young Mr Malfoy at this time. And she had been told some things that have made her rethink her allegiance to the Order. She may try to tell you this information herself, and turn you against me too. So I'm going to tell you the truth Harry, so when Hermione comes to you, you can tell her what she's been told is wrong. _

_Some witches and Wizards created a horrific potion that permanently stripped the magic from magical people. They used it indiscriminately on their political enemies, and on muggle-borns, who they didn't think were worthy to become Wizards. That is where the present day prejudice of pureblood and mudbloods came from. The light wizards were dismayed to find out that dark magic had been created for the very first time, and stopped them. Hermione has been told the same thing, but with a very different slant. She thinks that these wizards created dark magic out of a desire to do good, to prevent the wizarding world from being revealed to muggles."_

_Harry looked confused. "She thinks that evil magic was created to do good?"_

"_Exactly! So foolish, but she doesn't see that! I think that Hermione's interest in brewing this potion for her project is just as unsettling as her interest in the witch burnings in the first place. I have hypothesised that since the 16__th__ century there has been a group of wizards who have kept the dark wizards aims alive, my mentor certainly believed so, even though he and I have never been able to prove it. How else could the prejudice against muggle-borns have stayed so strong? And Voldemort is probably a member of this group, and is recruiting our own dear Hermione."_

_Harry looked close to tears. "But what can I do?"_

_Dumbledore looked back at him gravely. "Stay strong Harry. Give her no quarter, treat her with the disgust you would a Slytherin until she comes back into the fold. It is the only way."_

**End flashback**

"No, Hermione is no danger to our young order members, no danger at all."


	18. The prophecy problem solved!

The Easter holidays passed slowly. All students had to remain in Hogwarts for their own safety, and cabin fever inside the castle was rife. Pranks and schemes to inject a bit of fun into the two weeks caused arguments as well as hilarity. Hermione avoided all of it by spending most of her time in the room of requirement with Draco, Pansy and Blaise, much to the consternation of other people who wanted to use it. Severus was away most of the time, having missions to complete for Albus, Aberforth/Voldemort and Tom. Hermione missed him at night, but her says were full and lively as she sat gossiping or plotting with her friends.

"You don't believe me?"

"No! I remember that conversation, I found a present and was opening it at the time. Turned out to be super strength acne salve for Millicent. Teased her about it for weeks. But it was definitely Crabbe and Goyle."

"Wrong!" Said Hermione happily. "It was Harry and Ron polyjuiced that way. Didn't the real Crabbe and Goyle ever say anything about waking up in a broom cupboard after eating floating fairy cakes?"

"No."

"Yes they did." Said Pansy, laughing with Blaise. "But you weren't there. It was when you were chasing the trio round the castle one night hoping to get them into trouble. They didn't want to tell you in case you told your father who would tell their fathers how stupid they were to eat obviously tampered with food."

Draco sniffed. "How come you weren't with them Herms?"

It was Hermione's turn to look a bit embarrassed. "I was in the infirmary. I was going to go too, as Millicent as it happens, but I sort of turned partially into Millicent's cat instead."

Draco was about to speak when there was a knock at the door. The four looked at each other, immediately suspicious. They were in the room of requirement, so technically no one should have been able to do that. Pansy got up to answer the door, Draco behind on her heels. Hermione stayed sprawled on her bean bag whilst Blaise concentrated on an escape route should it prove necessary, and a hidden door quietly popped into existence beside him.

Pansy stepped out into the corridor, blocking the room from view. There was some muffled words spoken, and pansy re-entered, followed by Dumbledore.

"Thank you Miss Parkinson." He nodded his head in the direction of each of them. "Mr Malfoy, My Zambini, Miss Granger."

"What can we do for you headmaster?" Asked Draco.

"Actually it's Miss Granger I came here to find." He answered.

Hermione stared back at him, unmoving. "What do you want? Sir."

Dumbledore's eyes flicked to Draco before he answered. "That little job you were doing for me in the potions lab, I need it sooner rather than later. I was hoping you could begin brewing a batch today."

"As it happens headmaster, I have a batch of Sine Nomine ready in stasis, I was anticipating you asking for some."

Dumbledore indicated the door. "Then perhaps now would be a good time?"

"Of course sir." She said, and stood. "If you would wait for me in your office I would be happy to bring you a vial."

"I was hoping I could witness it's bottling."

"Gee, I'm afraid that just isn't possible. You see, the lab I brew it in is Severus' personal one, the classroom just isn't appropriate. And you aren't keyed into the labs defences. Even if I wanted to let you in, I couldn't. Only Severus and myself are able to enter."

"Very well. Replied Dumbledore, and left.

"See you all later." Said Hermione, as she left the room. Dumbledore was waiting for her outside, glowering behind his half-moon spectacles.

"You may think that those three are your friends Miss Granger, but mentioning our biggest hope for winning the war against Voldemort in front of the child of a known death eater was an example of foolishness I would not have expected from you."

Hermione smiled innocently in the face of the old mans ire. "It's not as if Voldemort hasn't already heard of my potion is it? It's hardly a secret, all the order knows, including the less than secretive Weasleys. I wouldn't be surprised if half the ministry knew, including any spy that Voldemort may have placed there. Draco knowing its name is probably the least of your worries. Besides, I trust him."

"And you're to bring it to the Burrow, we're having a meeting before school starts up again. I don't have time to wait around in my office for you."

She turned her back on her headmaster and made her way down to the dungeons. If Dumbledore wanted a batch of Sine Nomine for the order now, she may as well bottle up the permanent version for the Shadows. She absentmindedly rubbed her chest where her shadow tattoo was placed. She didn't realise it, but rubbing the mark that symbolised not only her initiation into the most secret society of secret societies, but also her love for Severus, had become a habit. When she was tired, stressed, or in need of comfort. It was the first thing she touched when she woke up, and the last thing when she went to bed.

Her latest batch of Sine Nomine was held in stasis, waiting for the final step in the brewing process, which would make it permanent or temporary. She split the potion into two cauldrons, bringing one to the boil for six minutes, and the other two a simmer for twelve. This done, she diligently siphoned them off into bottles, Dumbledore's into one large one, and the shadows into several small ones, which would be more easily transported.

Just as she was finishing up labelling them, printing clearly and obviously both her and Severus' names on the front, she froze as arms encircled her from behind. When her brain caught up with her a second later, she melted into the embrace. Only Severus knew how to have joined her in the lab.

"Welcome back." She murmured, finishing the last label with a flourish before turning round to face her man.

"I have a bone to pick with you." He said.

"Oh?" Hermione slid out of his arms and began tidying up. "What have I done?"

"Made my missions more intolerable than they were previously."

"How?" She asked indignantly. "I wasn't even there."

"Exactly." He smirked; pleased she'd fallen into his verbal trap. "I missed you, not something I've had to deal with before."

Hermione beamed. "I missed you too. How sweet of you to admit you felt the same."

Severus grimaced. "Kindly rescind your use of such adjective in conjunction with myself. Its demeaning."

"And patronising. And also vaguely emasculating. I try."

Severus growled and reached out for her, his intentions clear, but Hermione sidestepped with a laugh and kept him at bay.

"Unfortunately, your welcome home is going to be minus the opportunity for wandering hands tonight."

Severus glowered.

"At the risk of sounding like a petulant child, why?"

"Because despite you just coming back from a long and tiring mission, don't deny your tired, I can tell, Dumbledore wants the Sine Nomine tonight, he's planning an order meeting. You'll probably have to report about wherever you've been too."

Severus sighed and sat on one of the work benches. "I had hoped he'd give me an evening to recuperate."

Hermione looked at him and made some deductions. It had been Death eater, not order business he's been away for.

"Was it…" She hesitated. "Bad?" Severus had told her little about the meetings of the death eaters, and she'd asked few questions, understanding his need to compartmentalize his life.

He didn't speak for a moment, as if trying to keep at bay an emotional response. "Yes."

She went to him then, without words, and kicked his shin. He looked up sharply.

"What did I do to deserve that?"

Hermione smirked. "Kind words, a hug and a cup of tea don't help you Severus, so I won't attempt to engage you in a cosy chat trying to draw you out about what happened. Instead I decided to kick start you, literally."

Severus frowned at her, but nodded. "Which is the batch for Albus?"

Hermione pointed, and he stood wearily, and picked it up. "Are you accompanying me to H.Q?"

She grinned. "Do you honestly think I'd miss a chance to rub my genius in their faces? Now give me back that bottle, I want to present it!"

x.x.x.x.

The green fire whooshed up around her as she followed Severus through the grate into Order H.Q. She noted that it was indeed still the Burrow – clearly they didn't feel the need to move their base around. She gripped the bottle of Sine Nomine closer to herself, and moved out into the living room. It was empty, but the buzz of conversation from the dining room told her where everyone was. She strode past Severus, who watched her with a smile, and opened the door.

The conversation stopped immediately at her entrance. She felt Severus come up behind her, touching her back lightly for a reassurance she appreciated but didn't need. Her eyes quickly took in that the entire order was there, the room very cramped, and that the faces looking back at her were a mixture of fear, loathing, or curiosity.

"Good afternoon." She said brightly. "I've bought that potion I invented that you can't win the war without."

Dumbledore stood up and came over to her, reaching out for it.

"Ah." She said, holding it out of his grasp. "What's the magic word?"

"Miss Granger, may I please have the Sine Nomine?" He said with a hint of impatience.

"Of course Headmaster." She passed it over with a flourish. "Anything for my favourite Professor." She glanced back at Severus with a grin. "After you of course."

He nodded slightly, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly as he fought to control a smile and keep his snarky persona in place. "Of course." He murmured.

Dumbledore returned to seat. "As Miss Granger said, this is the potion that may well win us the war."

"Ahem." Coughed Mrs Weasley.

"Yes Molly?"

Mrs Weasley bobbed her head in Hermione's direction. There had been a single seat left at the table, obviously meant for Severus, but he had instead drawn in out for Hermione to sit in, and was standing behind her, leaning on the chairs back.

"Should she be here Albus? She quit the order after all."

Severus snarled. "Hermione has every right to be here, to hear how her _gift_ is to be used."

Molly pursed her lips. "_Hermione_ now is it?"

Severus allowed himself a slow, smug, cat-got-the-cream smile, which made him look exceedingly pleased with himself. "That's right."

Hermione figured that Severus was betting Dumbledore had told everyone about their relationship, and from the looks around the table he was probably right. And if he was going to flaunt it, so was she.

"It's ok Severus." She said, standing and making ready to leave. "Let them have their little meeting. You can fill me in later in bed - in your office." She coughed delicately at her 'slip'. "See you tonight."

She walked past him, a little closer than one would a friend, but he caught her hand, and lifted it to his lips in a chaste kiss, but with a dark, animal longing in his eyes. She smiled at him, and swept out of the room. Just as she was about to floo back to Hogwarts an owl came through the flames first, dropping a letter at her feet before disappearing again. It was a short note summoning her to Shadow H.Q at Grambleton, requesting she bring the potion and Severus with her. Hermione frowned as she incinerated the note, how to let him know without arousing the suspicion of the entire order?

Re-entering the room wasn't a particularly pleasant prospect, but Hermione walked in confidently anyway.

"Sorry to interrupt again." She said sweetly. "Severus, when you get back could you show me where you keep your dragonfly tails? I went to the shadows in your store cupboard looking but I couldn't see them. I'm going back tonight, you should come with me." She also touched her robes over her tattoo briefly for emphasis.

He nodded in understanding. "I'll be there."

She smiled and went to Hogwarts to collect the batch of Sine Nomine for Tom, and used the biro portkey, disappearing with a pop.

x.x.x.x.x.x

"Hermione!"

Hermione placed the box of vials of Sine Nomine on a table and gave herself over to one of Evan Rosier's massive bear hugs. "Good to see you too." She said into his shoulder. He was wearing the silver and grey outfit worn at official gatherings.

Evan released her and gave her a huge grin. "So how are you?"

Hermione laughed and pushed her mussed hair back off her face. "I'm great thanks. Enjoying the holidays at any rate. What have you been up to?"

"S.A.D business mostly. It's been more fun than I expected, I've been all over the place talking to creatures about it. The mermaids, the centaurs, the elves of course, some goblins and a couple of trolls, which can be a bit slow going at times."

Hermione beamed at him. "I'm so glad it's working out."

"Me too! And it helps, we've got some of them on side for the final battle when it happens."

"Hermione?"

Hermione spun round to see Lucius beckoning from one of the side rooms. "Coming." she called back. Evan picked up the box of vials, and the two of them entered the main meeting room. Hermione shivered as she felt her robes melt into the silver dress of official shadow meetings. It was a light grey bodice trimmed in a creamy white with silver embroidery; it was brought in at her waist with a linen belt of the same shade and from that sank to the ground in a darker shade of grey, flaring only slightly about the feet.

Instead of the dining room table at the Burrow with Dumbledore sat the head, this conference table was circular. Hermione was reminded of King Arthur's round table, built so that rank would have no effect on where people sat. No head of the table, no advisor on the leaders right side, just everyone facing everyone in equal status. Tom Riddle was sat between Florian Fortescue on his right and Percy Weasley on his left. She smiled and waved, and they smiled back. Ragnok sat on Percy's other side, and then there was Lucius next to him. Narcissa was sat next to her husband, and Hermione sat on her left. Evan plonked himself down on her other side, leaving an empty space between him and Hapsad, who was next to Dobby, for Severus.

"Greetingss again Hermione."

"Thank you Tom, it's good to be back. I bought the Sine Nomine with me."

"Excellent." Tom smiled. "But we will hold off until Severus gets here before we discuss strategy. Hapsad, perhaps some wine?"

"Or some Firewhiskey?" Said Evan hopefully.

Hapsad smiled. "Of course. Could I have a hand Dobby?"

"Of course." He squeaked.

Narcissa and Hermione grinned at each other as Dobby scampered off after Hapsad. "Seems familiar." Said Cissy.

Hermione snorted. "You mean Lucius followed you around like a lovesick puppy?"

"Hardly!" Said Lucius with a sniff.

Cissy smiled. "They're all like that, in one way or another. Severus certainly follows close to you whenever you're in the same room."

Hermione blushed slightly, but looked pleased.

"I'd follow wherever you led Cissy." Said Evan, going all puppy eyed.

Cissy laughed. "And I'd lead you straight to Lucius to sort you out."

Hapsad and Dobby returned with the drinks, and the group spent a couple of hours talking, sometimes as one group, and sometimes breaking off into smaller conversations. Hermione wasn't too bothered by Severus taking so long, Order meetings were often long drawn out affairs. But when Lucius gasped and grabbed a hold of his arm, she went pale right along with Cissy. Lucius' clothes changed from the silver of the Shadows, into the forbidding black of the death eaters, and his mask slid over his features, making him seem frightening and otherworldly. He nodded to Tom, touched his wife's shoulder, then disapparated with a pop.

Now the atmosphere whilst waiting for the two men was uneasy and tense. Narcissa sat discussing the stock market with Ragnok, obviously trying to crowd out her fears with numbers and calculations, while Hermione lent for emotional support from Evan. He kept her smiling by acting the fool to Percy's straight man, and the time passed quicker than it might otherwise have done, much to her relief. When cursing from the hall alerted them to the two men's return, they all hurried back to the table, Evan sitting so the gap was next to Hermione. Severus swept in, closely followed by Lucius, both looking grave. Severus grabbed a bottle of firewhiskey off the table, pulled out the cork with his teeth, spat it out into a corner with flinch from the habitually tidy elves, and drank deeply. Lucius collapsed into his seat and wearily lit a joint.

Lucius took a deep drag and spoke calmly. "The death eaters have decided the final battle will happen at Hogwarts, the day after the last N.E.W.T."

There were gasps from round the table, and Tom's red slits of eyes narrowed even further.

"Why Hogwartss? Even Dumbledore can't lower all the wardss protecting the castle, and it will endanger all the children's livess."

"He's going after Hogwarts to force our hand. Albus knows we are willing to bide our time, but knows we'll feel honour bound to come into he open and fight if children's lives are in danger. He's confident that he can beat us, as he thinks the Sine Nomine will be enough to kill Tom."

"How will Albuss administer the potion to me? It only lasts a few minutesss, and I won't be drinking on the battlefield." Asked Tom.

"He's going to show potter how to make the potion airborne, and fly it into your face when he gets close enough to you. " Answered Severus.

Tom closed his eyes in thought while conversation broke out amongst the shadows. Hermione gripped Severus' hand on the table top, and he squeezed back. No words were necessary. Eventually Tom spoke again, and everyone fell silent to listen.

"When iss the next order meeting?"

"Well, there's going to be several between now and the final battle at the end of the year. Albus will plan to have one a few days before he has Aberforth attack I imagine."

Tom nodded. "I will have Dobby and the other house elvess administer our permanent version of Ssine Nomine to all members of the order on the night before the battle, rendering them magic-lessss, and therefore helplesss. It will take effect in their sleep, so they will wake confused. It will be too late for Albus to contact Aberforth and call the whole thing off. The Sshadows and the elves will be able to kill off all the death eaterss without the hassle of having to deal with order members firing hexess at us, leaving the sstudents and non-order teachers ssafe."

"What about the order members who don't live at Hogwarts?" Asked Florean.

"No problems." Said Dobby firmly. "Dobby has elves in homes of all order members."

"But this plan means that the helpless order members won't be out fighting, so we can't kill them." Said Evan.

"That iss not the plan." Said Tom firmly. "Albus is the masstermind behind all this, the order memberss don't fully understand the nuances of hisstory. They are misguided and blameless. They didn't create Voldemort; they didn't recruit madmen as death eaterss. They will become muggless, that is punishment enough."

"Maybe even worse than death." Said Hermione brightly. "Alive, but unable to perform magic."

Evan raised an eyebrow at the glee in her voice, and she grinned.

"With the order alive, at least one of them is going to wonder how they lost their magic." Said Severus blackly. "Someone will figure out they had Sine Nomine used against them, but a permanent version. Hermione will be implicated and punished."

"Yess, but we can explain it away." Tom turned to Percy. "Percy?"

"Hermione, are you aware that there is a D.A. plot to kidnap you?"

Hermione was surprised. "No, I mean, they tried that before, Ron and Harry that is. Severus scared them off."

Percy smiled. "Well my dear sister Ginny is more determined than either of them. She's determined to reveal you as a death eater, or at the very least humiliate you. I cultivated several friendships with ghosts and portraits in Hogwarts, who have been invaluable sources of information regarding the mini-order."

"Ok." Said Hermione slowly. "How will having myself kidnapped help explain away the use of Sine Nomine on the order?"

"Well." Said Percy, adjusting his horn-rimmed glasses. "When being interrogated, you will admit that you were working on the permanent Sine Nomine, but couldn't figure out one tiny detail. And one day you noticed that your extensive notes were missing. And that the next day Crabbe and Goyle were talking about it. Ginny will tell Albus all of this of course. Now the death eaters have recently inducted an elderly, insane professor of potions, so old that he was old when Dumbledore was a young man. This madman is a Shadow, he will be said to have used his insanity to see a solution of the potion we failed to, and to have brewed the permanent version. He supplied it to death eaters, who fed it to order members on the eve of their 'great battle'. Albus will blame Aberforth for not knowing what his own death eaters were doing. And he won't be able to ask any death eaters about it, because we will have killed them all."

Hermione nodded, impressed with Percy's logic. "And the beauty of it is, Albus can't do anything about it, because doing so he'd be admitting he created Voldemort himself."

Tom continued speaking. "The wizarding world will be thrown into confussion in the wake of the battle, as it's most brilliant leaderss and aurors will be incapacitated. That's when Sshadow operativess, many of whom only I know the whereabouts and roless of, will be promoted into top positions to fill the gap. The muggle positionss will follow in due course."

"But what about Voldemort?" Asked Cissy. "Aberforth won't be willing to die in that role, and the Prophecy says the Potter child has to kill you Tom. What can we do about that?"

Tom was slow to answer, but when he did, it was in a tone that would brook no argument.

"Ssomeone will remove Aberforth from the battlefield, probably Hapssad or Dobby, as elf apparation can be done in and out of Hogwarts eassily. I will then appear dressed as Voldemort, and playing hiss role. Harry will not be given the Sine Nomine, and he will kill me. That way the wizarding world will be ssafe in the knowledge that the dark lord died with his followerss, leaving the way clear for you, my sshadows, to continue our great enterprisse."

"But you…" Gasped Cissy.

"I will die. But the work we sstarted 400 years ago, to protect the wizarding world from being revealed to muggless will continue. The forces of darknesss will select one of you as the next leader when you die, you will know in that instant, not before. I am willing to die for this cause, ass are all of you."

Everyone agreed silently, and Hermione sighed softly.

"Now then," Said Tom, "to plan the finer detailsssss…"


	19. Plan in action

"Ok." Said Draco. "I understand that Potter has to kill Riddle, the prophecy said so. But why now? Why not just have Potter kill Aberforth in the final battle? Tom can stay alive until we're ready for him to, to."

"Die?" Hermione sighed. "Believe me I asked the same questions. Severus explained it like this; Tom knows he has to die at Potters hand. His death stares him in the face, immovable, a fact. The only thing he can do to is choose when and where to die. Choosing the time and place of your death is every persons final right. Tom wants to die visibly on the battlefield. He thinks Albus has a plan to make that happen anyway, so why fight it? He'll have done what he set out to do, the Shadows will be in control."

"Its just so…I mean if it was me I, well. You know."

Hermione nodded. "It just seems so unfair doesn't it."

Draco nodded. "If I was Tom, I'd find it galling, being such a great man, and letting Potter think he'd defeated me."

"I suppose he knows he's got the last laugh."

The two best friends sat thinking in silence in their common room. It was after curfew so pansy and Blaise had returned to the Slytherin common room, leaving them alone. Although Hermione was friends with the others, Draco was the first to welcome her, to befriend her as she switched sides in the Slytherin/Gryffindor fight. In her eyes, no one bar Severus could hold a candle to him.

"Is he sure he's the dark lord in the prophecy? I mean, what if Aberforth is the dark lord it's referring to?"

"I know it's tempting to hope that, I wanted to as well. But the fact is Tom is the one who made the horcruxes, Tom is the one who marked Potter 'as his equal'. I mean lets face it, Aberforth gets his death eaters to do his dirty work."

Draco shook his sadly in defeat. "Damn."

x.x.x.x.x.

The Shadows plans were set in motion immediately after the meeting, but it took some time before they took effect. Hermione had been roaming the halls alone for months before the D.A. got their act together sufficiently to grab her. Hermione had even strolled near the Gryffindor tower alone during half term, studying alone in the library, and eating breakfast so early she was guaranteed to be alone in the Great Hall. Draco, Pansy and Blaise had been understanding of her wishes, and when Draco had joined the Shadows in March, and Blaise in April; they'd worked even harder to help her.

Pansy, understandably frustrated with her late birthday, had managed to get Draco to spill the plans to her, and had come up with her own plan to aid the Shadows. It had been puzzling them how to drug all the order members at the order meeting without drugging Harry accidentally at the same time. Pansy, with her expertise in healing, suggested a time delay flu virus of some kind. Harry could be infected with it at anytime, say when Hermione was kidnapped, but not have it take effect until the meeting. He would be too ill to drink alcohol, which all the others would, even if it was only a butterbeer. Tom approved Pansy's plan, and Blaise made a small device to fit behind Hermione's teeth, which was filled with the flu virus designed by Pansy and Hermione. All Hermione had to do was get close enough to Harry to bite him.

After Half Term, with N.E.W.T's looming and the final battle just a hairs breadth behind, Hermione resorted to purposefully goading the Gryffindors, going out of her way to belittle them and take off house points. Draco was leading his Quidditch team to victory, and Hermione had a ball parading their wins in front of Ron and Ginny. So far, she had counted 17 separate shades of red displayed on their faces.

x.x.x.x.x

Hermione yawned. She'd been working late in the library again, not on N.E.W.T's, for which she was fully prepared, but on animagi. She was considering becoming one when everything had died down, and was researching the preliminary steps, and how long it usually took. Rubbing her temples wearily she gathered up her books and replaced them on their shelves in the restricted section. They were in there because second years trying to turn into animals was not a fun thing for Madame Pomfrey to deal with.

"Hermione Granger."

She spun around to see Ginny stood smirking in the doorway to the library.

"Ginevra." She acknowledged coolly. "Out of bed after curfew? That'll be twenty points from Gryffindor."

"Save it." Snarled Ginny.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Want to lose some more for disrespecting a superior Miss Weasley?"

She felt rather than heard someone come up behind her. The petrificus totalus was Neville, but Ron did the scarf over her eyes. _Only his hands would be shaking, the coward._

Unable to move or see Hermione was vulnerable. If they continued like this, she wouldn't be able to see Harry to bite him. The passage of air past her, and the loss of ground beneath her feet told her they were levitating her elsewhere. No one was speaking, but there were regular pauses. _Probably checking the marauders map at every corner. _

Eventually, her eyes were unbound and she blinked in pain at the sudden bright light. She would have laughed at what she saw when her eyes adjusted if she hadn't been petrified. They were in the room of requirement, only there could a replica of a police interrogation room of the television be created in such detail. Which meant a muggle influence. _Which means Harry's here._

She spotted other people in her peripheral vision. There was Ginny, Ron, Neville and Luna. And the twins were there in the background, playing rock paper scissors. Hermione was struck by the ridiculousness of that, it warmed her heart to see they hadn't changed. It had been such a long time since she'd seen them.

Harry was sat on a chair on the other side of the table, next to the desk lamp that was shining directly into her eyes. "Finite incantem." He said, and she regained control of her body, only to have her arms seized and tied behind her back by one of the twins.

"Potter." She said calmly. "And what can I do for you?"

"Granger." He said, just as emotionlessly. "You can answer a few questions for me."

Hermione slipped into a sequence she had mentally prepared for herself. _Right…insecure and slightly nervous…._

"I don't think so Harry. Look this has gone far enough, let me go now, and I won't even tell Severus yeah?"

"Sevvikins." Said Fred in a girlish voice. "Sevvipoo, Potters been nasty to me again." He and George sniggered.

"That's enough. And no Hermione, we have no intention of letting you go. We really would like some answers."

"Well you're not asking any question."

"True, ok then. Are you a death eater?"

"No."

"I don't believe you. Ginny, roll up her sleeve."

Hermione rolled her eyes as Ginny yanked her robe up, to reveal unmarked flesh. Which remained clear despite Ginny trying revealing spells.

"I did tell you."

"She could have it somewhere else, her arm would be too obvious." Said Neville.

"We'll have to take off all her clothes." Said Luna.

"No!" Said Hermione. She hadn't anticipated that. Her Shadow tattoo would be on show if the did a strip search looking for the dark mark.

Harry shifted in his chair. "Well I'm not going to do it. Ron, you were her boyfriend you do it."

"I don't want to touch her ever again." Said Ron petulantly.

"And I don't want him to. I'm not a death eater and I don't have a dark mark."

"You do it." Said Harry, indicating Fred. "You were bought here in case things got…difficult weren't you?"

"Against our wishes." Said George darkly.

"Listen..." Started Hermione, but Ginny fired a silencing spell at her and her sentence was cut off.

"Just get on with it." Huffed Ginny.

Fred untied her hands and held onto her while George methodically took off her outer robes, then her school jumper. He leaned in close as he took off her tie and whispered in her ear. "Just say it's a matching tattoo you have with Snape."

Hermione's eyes widened, and he winked at her. He unhooked her skirt, sliding it off so it pooled round her feet. As he slid her shirt down off her shoulders there was a collective gasp as her shadow tattoo came into view. It was full moon with wisps of black shadow curling out around it in intricate pattern. In the middle of the moon was a sun, its rays pointing outwards and tangling with the wisps of shadow from the moon.

"There it is, but that's not the usual design. It's quite pretty" Said Luna dreamily.

Hermione kept her gaze down, embarrassed to be stood in a bra and thong in front of everyone.

"Between your tits?" Said Harry incredulously. "Did you gets thrills when Voldemort did that?" He came out from behind the desk. "I actually thought for a moment you might be telling the truth." Suddenly he pitched forward and have her a sharp backhanded slap across the face, whipping her head round hard to the left. Hermione whimpered in pain, as she couldn't speak.

"Easy Harry." Said George. "There's no need for that."

Ginny came up behind Hermione and kicked the back of her knees, making them give out so Hermione landed heavily and awkwardly on her knees. "Slytherin whore." She spat. "I told you, I told you all didn't I? And how long did it take for you all to get your act together? Months! Whilst she was swanning round this castle with Malfoy like she owned the place." Hermione winced in pain as Ginny yanked her hair back so she was looking up at her, then toppled over as she lost her balance, leaving her sprawled on the floor on her back.

"On your back, where you've been for months you slut." She whispered spitefully, the whisper carrying clearly in the small room. "Malfoy, Zambini, Snape…bet you did Malfoy senior and all the other death eaters while you were at it didn't you?"

"What on earth do you see in him anyway Hermione?" Asked Ron suddenly.

Hermione lifted her head to answer, but couldn't speak.

"Well." Said Fred, "You know what they say about men with large noses."

"Large feet." Laughed George.

Ron looked confused and Fred rolled his eyes. "Large feet are said to be a sign of proportionally large genitalia Ron."

Ron made a strangled sound and flushed scarlet.

"That's enough.," said Ginny angrily. "Fred, George, with all your interruptions anyone would think you were trying to slow up this interrogation."

"Who us?"

"Never!"

"We're just trying to inject some mirth into the proceedings."

"Its all gone a bit vicious, and Hermione hasn't even said anything yet."

_Right._ Thought Hermione. _Time for the tears._ She allowed her eyes to well up, revoking the emotions of betrayal and confusion she'd felt when all her friends had turned on her.

"Take off the silencing charm." Ordered Harry, and Ginny did so. "What is that tattoo then Hermione, if it isn't a dark mark?"

Hermione glanced at George, who barely nodded. "It's a matching tattoo I have with Severus, to show we're intertwined. He's the moon, I'm the sun."

Ginny snorted. "This isn't going to get us anywhere. It's time for some Veritaserum."

_Right…that could make life interesting._ She'd tried preparing for this with Severus, but it would be difficult. Harry nodded, and Luna pulled a vial out of her robes, offering it to Ginny. Ginny dragged Hermione up into a kneeling position, and forced the potion down her throat.

Hermione closed her eyes, and concentrated. She could feel the potion beginning to work. Her upper thought processes began to shut down, thereby limiting her ability to think, and lie. Her face went slack, her eyes glassy, and her breathing slowed. But deep down inside her mind, Hermione was still sentient, still in control.

"We should test it first." Said Neville.

"I'll take it from here." Said Harry. "Hermione Granger, have you slept with Snape?"

_Easy question…_ "Yes."

"Why?"

"I'm in love with him, and he with me."

"Did he approach you at the start of the year with information about the witch burnings of the 16th century?"

"Yes."

"What did he tell you?"

"That a potion was created to suppress the magic of muggleborns to limit the number of muggleborns entering the magical world. Security was lax, and our world was on the brink of widespread discovery. When the 'light' wizards found out, they used the potion against their fellow wizards, and had them burnt at the stake, unable to protect themselves."

Harry sighed. "Dumbledore warned me you thought that. Did you brew that potion with the intention of using it?"

"Yes."

"Against who?"

"Voldemort." _Not a lie, just not the whole truth._

"So you are on our side?"

"No."

"But you want to kill Voldemort and all death eaters."

"Yes."

Ginny shrieked with rage. "She must be lying, we know she's a death eater."

Harry frowned; this wasn't quite what he expected to hear either.

"Did you brew a permanent version of the potion, for 'your' side?" Asked Fred suddenly.

The D.A. turned to look at him, and he shrugged. "Just a thought."

_How did he know to get them started on that line of enquiry?_ "I tried." Said Hermione. "But I couldn't quite get it. I was planning to use it to blackmail the order one day."

"Tell us all about the plan." Said Ginny eagerly.

_The plan? Badly worded bitch, I'll tell you what the Shadows __**planned**__ for me to say_…

"I tried long and hard to brew a permanent version, I lied to Dumbledore about my success, I managed far longer than two minutes, but it was unstable and didn't always work at all. There was one key step to take that would make it work, but the line in the original instructions on the 400year old manuscript was illegible, and couldn't be salvaged even with magic. I was forced to give up. I chose a date to give up by, but my notes were stolen before that day came."

"Who stole the notes?" Asked Harry.

"I don't know. But I overheard Crabbe and Goyle discussing it one evening in the Slytherin common room. They were laughing at the idea of Dumbledore becoming a muggle. I didn't say anything, because I was supposed to have made as much progress as I had. It would have made Dumbledore suspicious of my intentions, more so than he was already."

Harry took her chin and lifted it, looking into her eyes.

"You can still come back to us Hermione. We'll forgive you everything you've done if you join us again."

"Join you? Choked Hermione. "I will never do anything with you ever again you sanctimonious prat." and bit down hard on the hand that held her. _Hah, mission accomplished._

"Ow! You little bitch." Harry struck her again, and Hermione hard her nose break. Gasping for breath, her nose filling with blood, she spat in his face.

"You can beat me and abuse me." Said Hermione, as the others rounded on her too, kicking and shouting in anger. "But I will have my revenge on all of you."

"We have what we need to know, lets get rid of her. George, obliviate her." Said Fred.

Harry reluctantly stopped striking the bruised and battered woman on the floor. Hermione had curled up in the foetal position, trying to protect her mostly naked body. George said the spell, but missed. Only Hermione saw the sparks hit the floor millimetres from her head, and wondered again what the twins were up to, and whose side they were on. She went limp, as befitting a victim of an obliviate.

"What should we do with her?" Asked Neville. "She'll come round in a minute and know we were the ones that beat her up."

"Pitch her out the window." Said Ginny nastily. The room of requirements quite far up, but not too high so she won't die or anything."

Fred picked Hermione up, and took her to a window that had just opened up in the side of the room. "Sorry." he whispered in her ear as he threw her out.

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut as the wind whistled past her, and waited for the impact with the ground. When it came, she screamed reflexively, but then realised it didn't hurt. She had slowed in the last meter, so it felt as if she had merely fallen over. Apart from her existing injuries that is. She lay still, shivering, unable to think past breathing slowly. Her robes fluttered to the ground next to her, and she reached out for them, to get her wand, but hissed as she moved her bruised ribs.

To her chagrin, she could fell her vision going black round the edges, as the pain and the shock of being naked outdoors in the middle of the night caught up with her. Just as she fell unconscious, she thought she heard running feet coming towards her, but before she could be sure, she fainted.

x.x.x.x.x.x.

Draco had been waiting up for Hermione, he often did after her bouts of tempting the D.A. to act, juts in case. When she hadn't returned from the library by the appointed time, his restlessness grew as he realised Ginny had acted at last. Eventually, when the waiting became too intense, as she ought to have got back by now, Draco left the common room to look for her.

_If I were the D.A, where would I take her for some highly illegal questioning? The room of requirement is too obvious, and they wouldn't use the dungeons, they'd get lost once they went past Sev's classroom. Myrtles bathroom perhaps? Or the chamber of secrets_…

Draco spent some time searching, but to no avail. He was about to go out into the grounds to make his way to the shrieking shack when he heard a scream from round the corner of the castle. Recognising Hermione's voice, he accelerated into a run, to find her unconscious at the foot of a tower. Her clothes were scattered round her and she had been beaten up. He forced himself to focus, and used the levicorpus spell to lift her off the ground, not wanting to touch her in case he hurt her. He gathered up her clothes, draping her outer robe over her body to keep her warm, and keep her covered in case he met anyone on the way down to the dungeons.

He set off at a run, Hermione's body keeping pace floating alongside him. Luckily, he wasn't seen by anyone, and made it to Severus' office safe. he opened the door, hoping the older man was in.

"Severus?" He called.

There was no answer. Draco pushed open the door and saw the room was dark and cold, the fire in the grate having gone out long ago. Cursing, Draco was about to turn around and take her up to their rooms when he remembered their fire was connected to Severus', and he could go direct. He lit a fire and groped around for some floo powder. Hermione wouldn't fit in the fire horizontally, so he lifted the spell and held her to him gingerly. She hadn't woken up yet, but when she did she'd be embarrassed and in pain.

"Head boy and girls common room."

He carried her out of the fire and hurried into her bedroom, lying her down on the four-poster. This done, he left to get Pansy.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Severus got in late, or early, depending on your point of view. He'd been out on Shadow business, helping Ragnok the goblin approach some of his fellows at Gringotts. They'd been pretty unsuccessful, so he was grouchy at the thought of how much time he'd wasted. He went to open the door to his quarters when he was startled by a letter flapping itself in his face.

"Lumos." He growled in irritation.

He snatched the letter out of the air and opened it, belatedly realising it was a howler, he slammed the door shut.

"Professor Snape, I don't know where the hell you are, but get up to Hermione's bedroom the moment you get this. She was pretty badly beaten up. Draco found her, and I did what I could with bruise salve and my wand, but obviously I couldn't get the broken bone potion that you could get in a moment, so the longer you take the longer she's in pain. SO HURRY UP. From Pansy."


	20. The countdown begins

"Is everyone here?" Hermione asked Dobby. The diminutive elf nodded. "Right, well you all know why you're here. And you know what the consequences of your actions will be. Your masters will eventually lose the use of their magical powers, as far as elves are concerned; this is one of the ultimate betrayals. As shadows, you agreed in your oath this might have to happen, but I understand you may feel differently now it's come down to it. If you feel you cannot do this, speak out now and a Hogwarts elf will be sent in your place."

None of the elves moved, and Hermione was satisfied. "Very well. Mr Dobby will instruct you further."

Hermione sat down as Dobby stood. These were the elves that lived and worked with top aurors or ministry officials that Tom had designated as being detrimental to the Shadows either during or after the final battle. They were to have their magic stripped from them. Hermione had felt a twinge of guilt at her part in the plan, but had shrugged it off. These people had to be removed, and although the phrase made her wince with it's cliché-ness, it was apt. It was for the greater good. Dobby was explaining to the gathered elves, who had been inducted to the shadows a while back, how to administer the Sine Nomine to their intended victims.

Knowing Dobby was well versed in the plan, Hermione allowed her mind to wander back to the events of a couple of weeks ago. After being questioned by the D.A. she'd woken up to Severus' relieved face.

**Flashback**

_Hermione blinked as her lovers face swam into focus, and tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace. She knew he was talking, as she could see his lips move, but there was no sound. She shook her head as if trying to get water from her ears but this just made her head hurt more. She took a deep breath and concentrated, and his voice, quiet though it was at first, started to filter through._

"…_and that's when I got here. Miss Parkinson was going out of her mind with worry, fussing over you like a far slimmer Madame Pomfrey and Draco was stood in the corner out of the way looking embarrassed."_

"_Embarrassed?" She croaked._

_He smiled at her response. "Well you were mostly without clothing my dear, and had his reaction been anything but awkwardness I'd have had words believe you me."_

_Hermione rolled her eyes. "Right. Whatever. Well the news is good, the D.A. swallowed the bait hook line and sinker. They think that the death eaters have the permanent version of Sine Nomine, and poor Potter is due to go down with a very nasty bout of the flu at some point in the future. Possibly today, it is tomorrow right?"_

"_Right. It's Saturday. So, are you up to being out and about? We have things to do."_

"_Of course. They didn't beat on me that bad really, and Pansy's good at what she does."_

_Severus lent in and kissed her. "I'm good at what I do too you know." He said quietly._

_Hermione smiled at him with a glint in her eye. "Really? Perhaps you had better remind me of how good you are."_

**End Flashback.**

She was just remembering the good part of that morning when she realised Dobby had stopped speaking and was watching her impatiently. She smiled apologetically.

"Sorry Dobby, I was wool-gathering. Where'd we get to?"

"Assignments have been assigned." Said Dobby. "We were waiting for you to say something."

"Right." Hermione looked down at the House Elves, their excitement showing clearly in their eyes. _So it's lucky most wizards pay so little attention to their elves._ "I have nothing to say everyone, you have your jobs, so get out there and do them. I know you'll do them perfectly." It seemed the right thing to say, as the elves smiled and apparated away. Dobby took a hold of her sleeve and looked at her inquiringly.

"Yeah I'm ready Dobby, lets go."

They winked out of existence, then back as they arrived in the Weasley household. Hermione held her breath, but she needn't have done. Dobby said he'd make her invisible, and he had. Her faith in elf magic was re-affirmed as Mad-Eye stalked past her without a backwards, sideways or even upside down glance. Hermione watched as a steady stream of Order members came through the grate, including a very miserable looking Harry, sniffing into a hanky provided immediately by Molly. Interestingly, she noticed the twins were absent, fuelling her idea that they were somehow on her side. They new about the flu plan, why not the spiked punch? Keeping in the shadows just in case, Hermione followed as the group gathered round the dining room table, chatting soberly about the war, taxes and Harry. Eventually, Dumbledore coughed, and attention switched to him.

"Are the twins not coming Molly? This meeting involves everyone."

"Sorry Headmaster." She answered. "They couldn't get away. I'll fill them in myself of course."

"Very well. My dear friends." he said gravely. "I have bad news. Severus has informed me of the date and time the death eaters plan to come out in force to take over the wizarding world."

"Isn't that good news?" Said Tonks. "We know in advance when they're going to strike."

"Yes, in that aspect it is indeed good news. However, they plan to attack Hogwarts."

"But the children!" Cried Molly. Hermione watched sadly as the order reacted in the same way as the shadows had when the news had come to their attention. Disbelief, disgust, worries for the children. It was a shame these people had to be neutralised, some of them were ok. Like Tonks and Lupin.

"When will they attack Albus?" Asked Moody gruffly.

"They plan on breaking in after the last N.E.W.T is completed, probably so the children of the death eaters in the seventh year will finish their exams. These people are monsters, but still have their children's futures in mind. It would be funny were it not so tragic." While everyone was speaking, offering tactical ideas on how to fight, how to clear the students out of Hogwarts, Dobby went round with his tray of spiked punch.

"Nice one Dobby, I could do with a stiff drink." Said Arthur.

Harry reached out for a glass, but Hermione's worries were unfounded, as Molly slapped his hand away. "There's not a chance of you drinking young man. That alcohol will affect your flu potions. You can have some pumpkin juice instead."

As Molly bustled off to the kitchen, Hermione sidled over to Dobby. Her work here was done. Although in a way, she wished the poisoning of the order could have happened the night before the attack, so she could have watched their faces as their magic failed to work. But this time-delayed version was better, less risk involved. They would lose their magic at midday on the day of the attack, the last day of term, an hour before the end of the last exam. Dobby walked out into the living room with the fireplace, and Hermione followed behind. On a whim, she whispered down to him.

"Take me to the twins magic shop please Dobby." Dobby gave her a knowing look, and she smiled innocently. She was as curious as hell as to the twins true allegiance, and she wasn't going to pass up the opportunity of no one knowing where she was to do a bit of snooping. A moment later, they were on the shop floor, and Hermione ducked down to avoid detection. Dobby for some reason hadn't come with her, so she was visible again. She slowly moved towards the sound of laughing voices in the back room, and gasped at what she saw. The twins were playing cards with Evan Rosier and Percy. She stood up abruptly, making them all jump.

"Deal me in gentlemen?"

Percy frowned. "You're not meant to know about Fred and George Hermione."

"Well she's here so she knows." Said Evan lightly. "Deal the lady in Gred."

"I'm not Gred, I'm Forge. Honestly, and you call yourself a spy, can't even keep track of who you're spying on."

Hermione quickly worked out that this was a running joke amongst them, therefore they'd known each other for a while. Seeing her look of concentration, George pulled up a chair and indicated for her to sit down. "Basically Hermione, we're not Shadows, we're just sympathisers."

"Not everyone is good enough to be inner circle." Said Evan, grinning from ear to ear.

"Right." Said Fred.

"We don't even know who is in charge of the Shadow network, all we know is he's a secretive kinda guy who doesn't think it wise for everyone to know him." Continued George.

"And Percy loves it." Said Fred.

Percy shrugged. "It's vindication for what I've been telling you for years, if you'd studied..."

"Yeah alright Perce, we'd be in you and Hermione's brain box club. We get it. Anyway, sorry about the other night Hermione."

"It's fine, really. I knew it wasn't going to be a walk in the park, and it would have been worse without you two there to calm them down a bit."

"So you and Snape eh?" Said Fred. "I mean, Evan told us all about it, but we haven't heard from you. So, firstly...Eww. Secondly, how's it working out for you?"

Hermione settled into the chat easily. The twins were all right, bit mad for her taste but tempered by Evans clever wit and Percy's sarcasm. It only struck her later, when she was tucked up in bed with an Ancient Runes textbook that the Weasleys were completely divided by this war, and those on the Order side were completely oblivious to the machinations of the siblings.


	21. The Goodbye

Hermione sighed as she sank back into the hot bath, it had been a long night, and though she was going to have a busy day, she wanted a bath rather than an energising shower. The night before had been her Astronomy exam, which had of course gone swimmingly. Hermione sometimes wondered what it would be like to be normal, and not know the information. In her younger years, she'd been nervous but had still got full marks. It must be awful being nervous and not knowing everything on the syllabus with a little extra. Draco had made some comment about her knowing the pain of a low mark, and she supposed he was quite right. But she had felt other pains, so maybe she wasn't missing out that much.

She was just drifting into a doze when there was a knock on the bathroom door. Irritated, she glanced at the clock and saw that whoever was on the other side of the door was actually doing her a favour. It was getting on for midday, and she had a Shadow meeting at one.

"Hermione?" It was Draco outside.

She got out of the bath, flinching slightly at the cold air. "I'm getting out, hang on."

"Cheers, it's just I just got up and I really need to go."

Hermione rolled her eyes at Draco's common misconception that girls really wanted to know about guys' toilet habits. Grabbing her towel she wrapped it round her and unlocked the door. Draco gave her a grateful smile as he dashed past her, closing the door in her face. She strolled to her room, and began to get dressed.

XxXxX

Her, Draco, Pansy and Blaise met up, and all went down to the dungeons together. Pansy had been a bit pissed about being left behind normally, but she just wasn't 18 yet, but there was nothing they could do. Promising to tell her everything had placated her a bit though, and she settled for finishing her homework in the quiet of the heads common room while they were gone.This time however, she had been given a special dispensation, and was brimming with excitement. Severus was waiting for them in his classroom, and they followed him into the secret hidden study. Hermione had felt a bit peeved the first time Draco and Blaise had gone in there with them, she'd styled it as her and Severus' private refuge from the school above, but there was little she could do.

Severus held out the biro, and counted down till the portkey would activate. It was a bit of a squash around the old battered pen now there were five of them, so Hermione took the opportunity, as ever, to get a bit closer to Severus. This trip wouldn't be like the other, relaxed meetings. This time, just days away from the final battle, it would be deathly serious, as they prepared for Tom Riddle's death, and how they would all be contacted so they could be at Hogwarts within moments of the death eaters arrival.

Grambleton Woods in the early summer were beautiful. Hermione had now seen them in all the seasons, but autumn, and that first trip, would remain her favourite. Pansy was looking around with interest, this being the first time she'd come.

"We'll split up to get to the house." Said Severus. Draco and Hermione, you two go first. Blaise, Pansy and I will follow."

Blaise looked a little nervous at the prospect of being alone with Severus, and Hermione managed a smile at that. He hadn't forgotten Severus' anger from the time he'd interrupted them making out outside the heads common room yet. She gave Severus a nod, and she and Draco set out for the village. Splitting up to walk down had been a recent development. Lucius had recommended it, in case the cottage was somehow compromised. If the first two ran into difficulties, the second two would be able to get away. Blaise was always paired off with Severus, because although he was very intelligent, and worthy of being a shadow, he hadn't been training for as long, and was more suited to practical matters anyway. His creation of the flu container behind Hermione's teeth had not been an accident. While Hermione was a talented witch from a muggle family, Blaise was a talented scientist/engineer, from a wizarding family. He had already started thinking about the problem of hiding the wizarding community from muggle technology. In the meantime however, it gave her and Draco a time to chat.

"The Astronomy exam was fine, I'm looking forward to the DADA. We'll get Outstandings for sure."

Hermione smiled. "Yeah, the freestyle section should be fun. We know a few interesting hexes..."

Draco smiled too but went silent for a little while before speaking again. "This is really messed up you know."

"What?"

"Talking about our N.E.W.T's on the way to a meeting of war. I mean, when it comes down to it we're talking about killing people we've spent the last seven years living alongside."

"Only if they get in the way. We're not going out to kill students."

"I know, but the older years are going to be fighting aren't they. Whether they're supposed to or not. The D.A. dregs will be at any rate. I have no quarrel with people like Chang, or even that annoying kid Creevey. But they'll get in the way. And what if someone like professor Sprout? I have an exam with her tomorrow."

Hermione nodded. "Just be thankful your family are all on one side. Think about Percy. What if he has to spell his parents? or Bill or Charlie. War is messed up, i just try to bury all that. I mean with me, if professor McGonagall dies, I'm not sure how I'll get in touch with my parents. She's their secret keeper."

"Have you been in touch with your parents much?"

"Not recently. Their letters grew a bit cold an angry a few months back. Severus wasn't allowed to see them anymore, so all they've heard is news from Dumbledore and McGonagall. I thought it would be easier to explain everything to them at once when everything's over, for better or for worse."

"I'll track them down if you kick the bucket."

"Gee thanks."

The two of them had entered the village, so stopped talking about magical warfare. The door to the cottage was locked, rather than the usual slightly ajar, so Draco knocked. The familiar voice of Lucius Malfoy came from behind it.

"What do you want?"

"To be a part of your story." Answered Draco.

"To what purpose and what end?"

"To help the shadows exist in the midday sun."

"How many shadows would you have thrive?"

"As many as accept that darkness rules light."

"How many shadows are there seeking inclusion."

"It's just me and Hermione dad."

The door opened and the face of Lucius nodded them in. Hermione saw how weary he looked, and mused that however involved she was, she was still very much sheltered living at Hogwarts. The death eaters activities had taken a step up recently, as it was summer and Severus' long predicted 'campaign season' had arrived. Lucius and he were out half the nights of the week with the death eaters, and the other half Severus was trying to juggle order and shadow work. He'd had little time for her, and if Lucius was any indicator, everyone else was feeling the strain too.

They went into the meeting room and it turned out she was right. The other shadows were all also looking tired and drawn. Even Evan just smiled up at her as she sat down, his usual vibrancy dimmed. He wasn't even flirting with n

Narcissa. Dobby was sat reading Pansy's latest S.A.D newsletter with a look of extreme concentration on his face, helped occasionally by Hapsad on the longer words. Draco was talking quietly with his mum, so Hermione sat in silence, waiting for everyone to arrive, which they did it dribs and drabs. Severus and the others arrived a few minutes later, then Percy with Florian. When they were all there, Hapsad went to get Tom.

The meeting itself was short and to the point. The shadows at Hogwarts, so Severus, herself or Draco and Blaise would activate their tattoos the moment the action kicked off. The shadows would apparate to the undergrowth near the lake or to the roof of the castle, as the woods would be full of death eaters and order members appearing. From those vantage points they would further co-ordinate their attack, taking out both sides at the same time using the battle as cover. They were to be wearing dark clothes, as it would probably be getting on for dark by the time the battle started, despite it being summer. They would be dark enough for death eaters to maybe overlook them, but without the distinctive death eater outfit that would make them targets.

"Now, ass for roless on the battlefield, most of uss will be simply taking people out, killing death eaterss and neutralising the order. Lucius, I want you to go after Aberforth with a portkey. It will take him here where he will be detained by Hapsad and a few other elves until you are ready to deal with him after the battle. Perhaps killing him would be simplest, but waiting to see what the eventual situation is before doing so may be for the best. Blaise, I want you on the roof of the castle relaying the battles ebbs and flows to us via these radio head sets. You've configured them to work in an area of magical denssity haven't you?"

"Yes Tom, that's done. I'll show you all how they work and where to wear them after the meeting."

"Very well. Evan you will be at the head of thosse tackling those allied with the order who weren't taken out with the Sssine Nomine, take Florian and the shadow elves. Dobby you will need to brief them on that. Sseverus, you'll be disposing of death eaters. I want Dobby, the goblins, trolls, whoever elsse we've got on our side with you. Narcissa, you'll be in Hogwartss infirmary assisting Miss Parkinson, you know her well already so I hope taking orderss from her won't be too much of a challenge. It's fortunate she's not yet of age, there's no reason for her to fight, and sshe's of better use patching you all up anyway."

Narcissa bowed her head in acquiescence, and Pansy smiled at the implied praise from Tom of her healing skills.

"Percy, I want you to martial the sshadow sympathisers. They won't be contacted via the tattoos, sso we need someone to gather and brief them. I suggest getting Fred and George firsst, showing them a place to gather, then the three of you sside-along apparating the rest there, then joining the battle. You will be the ssecond wave; Taking over from Severus and Evan whose ranks will be fatigued by that point. By that time, the order and their followerss will be neutralised, so the Shadow sympathisers have the less morally complex job of taking on the remaining death eaterss."

Percy nodded, and glazed over slightly as he began planning. Riddle then turned to Draco and Hermione, who were still waiting anxiously for their jobs.

"You two are the headss of Hogwarts, and as such will be charged with protection of the sstudents anyway. I have no wish to take this ressponsibility from you."

They both opened their mouths to argue but Tom raised his voice to be heard.

"I will not have it said that we left the studentss defenceless. Death eaters will get past Sseverus into the school. We have incapacitated most of the teacherss, who will be panicking at the loss of their magic and in no fit sstate to intervene if someone starts hexing the minors. You two are familiar faces to the sstudents, and already in positions of authority in the school. In the chaoss of a battle, they will follow you without question. No other shadow save Sseverus would command that kind of instant control, and we cannot sspare his knowledge of the death eater rankss. Once the students are safety out of the groundss, with others to pacify them, you may return to fight. But not before. Am I clear?"

Hermione couldn't fault his logic, and nodded. She dumbly noticed Draco nodding beside her too. Tom paused then, and looked at them all in turn. Hermione sat up a little straighter, and squared her shoulders, meeting his eye with a calm determination.

"Thiss is the last time we will all be here together." He said, and the words settled on them like the final tolls of a bell. Important to hear, but the last of their kind. "Even if all of you ssurvive the battle and meet again, I will not be amongsst you. So I feel I sshould say my goodbye now. It hass been an honour serving with you, as the old phrase goes. And those phrases stay with uss because they are sso true.

You were hand-picked my friends, not just for your minds and you sskills, but for who you are as well. I would not recommend many of the choices I have made in my life, they have twisted my body and ssoul. But I will never regret my sstudy of the dark arts, as it led me to the Shadows. A family for some..." He glanced at Pansy and Evan, "and a refuge for others.." He looked at Percy and Hermione.

"Perhaps when this is done, there will be no need for the Shadows, our age-old mission on the brink of completion. But I advise you to continue, as there is no way of knowing what might be ahead. I leave you now with a message of hope, for the future and for all of you, you who have walked in evil to do what is right. I salute you my friends."

Hermione had tears in her eyes, and squeezed Severus' hand, which was clutching hers tightly. Narcissa was openly weeping on Lucius' shoulder, and Percy was furiously blinking behind his horn-rimmed glasses. As Riddle stood, supported by the loyal Hapsad, Hermione spoke out suddenly.

"It's been an honour for us too Tom. I swear to you, when we are in charge, making this world a better place, your true role will be taught- will be known. Your last act on this earth will not be as mad-man killed by a child. It'll be that of a great man making the ultimate sacrifice. This I swear as a Shadow." As she finally allowed the tears to fall, she watched as everyone else stood, and vowed the same. Toms red eyes lost their hunted look, and seemed at peace. He said nothing more, but walked from the room slowly, a little less defeated than before.


	22. Exam Stress

"Ok Ron, just remember, swish and flick."

Hermione was waiting outside the Great Hall for their charms N.E.WT and Ginny was giving Ron and Neville a few last minute tips. Around her everyone was muttering, looking at notes or quizzing each other. Except for Draco, Pansy and Blaise. They had been as twitchy as everyone else before they'd left their room, but it was a matter of pride not to look afraid in front of everyone else. This was their last exam of the year, as none of them were taking muggle studies which was squeezed into a slot right at the end of the exam period. Hermione often thought that muggle studies could be made so much more of as a subject. I mean sure, start off with what muggles wear and things, but then go on to explaining electricity, and biology, and... well maybe the shadows would sort that out one day.

The doors opened, and they all filed in alphabetically. The cheat-proof quills were handed out, and the exam started. Hermione turned over her paper, and began to write.

xoxoxoxox

Stretching, Hermione stood and left the Hall. Rolling her shoulders as she walked over to her friends. They were looking confident, so she opened her mouth to start discussing the questions, but Pansy beat her to it and covered her mouth with her hand.

"We don't rehash the papers afterwards Hermione. Ever."

"Oh come on, it's our last one ever!"

Draco shook his head. "Not a chance. Though it looks like Weasley might appreciate it."

Hermione glanced over at Ron, who was just coming out. And sure enough he was looking very pale, and miserable. Lavender rushed up to give him a hug, and Ginny patted him on the back in commiseration. Neville didn't look too happy either, but as he'd never relied on Hermione's help, working extra hard on his own to get the grades, he at least had prepared. He was chatting to Luna who had also come over to see how'd they'd done.

"I agree, no one could argue that the paper was very simple. Why, I doubt Crabbe and Goyle did badly, did you boys?" Said Draco loudly.

Crabbe and Goyle had been muttering together with Millicent, and looked up surprised to be spoken to by Draco, who hadn't been spending much time with them this year. But old habits die hard, and they agreed automatically.

"That's right Draco."

"Well easy."

"Come on guys." Said Millicent, and the three of them trooped off.

"How did you find it Weasel? If you copied off Neville I'm afraid it wasn't worth your time."

"Ronald wouldn't cheat." Said Luna. "Gryffindors are brave and true."

"Well Ron's that alright." Said Pansy. "It must be very brave to keep taking those exams knowing you'll do badly in all of them."

Ron coloured in anger. "Shut your face you ugly bitch."

The people around them gasped, and the Slytherins straightened up, squaring their shoulders and facing the Gryffindors. Pansy took a step forward.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You heard, can't take what you dish out?" Said Ginny.

"Oh we can take it." Said Hermione, facing Ginny down. "Question is, you ready for the consequences of insulting your betters?"

As they were speaking, a ring had formed as the younger years; Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs paused to watch the standoff. Ginny and Hermione were snarling at each other, Draco was eyeing up Ron nastily for daring to have a go at Pansy, Blaise was bristling at Neville, and Luna was looking unusually focused at Pansy, whose wand hand was twitching towards her pocket.

"My betters? Slytherins? As if."

"Ginevra, we're smarter, richer, have better manners and could kick your ass with style. What does Gryffindor have? Apart from being sickening brown-noses who always 'do the right thing'." Hermione laughed. "You have nothing to be proud of you scrawny, ill-bred piece of shit."

Ginny raised her wand and predictably began to cat the bat-bogey hex, but Hermione had been expecting it and deflected it away with a silent protego. The crowd moved back a few steps as the small group all raised their wands.

"You really don't want to do this weasel-bee." Said Draco.

"He does ferret-face, and so do I." Yelled Neville, firing a spell at the nearest opponent, Blaise.

Suddenly, the air was filled with shouts as all eight students began to duel. The Gryffindors and Luna were not easy targets, having been training as the D.A, but the Slytherins were shadows, so had the upper hand being able to cast non-verbal spells with ease.

Also, the hexes known by the D.A were tame compared to the Shadows. Teachers hurried up as they heard the shouts, but couldn't see much in the clouds of coloured smoke and lights resulting from the fight.

The students inside the cloud were weaving in and out of each other trying to blast their opponent. Ginny and Hermione were in the middle of it all seemingly dancing as they cast hexes and jinxes back and forth at it each other, ducking and manoeuvring around them Pansy was thrashing Luna as she shouted out taunts about wrackspurts and crumple horned snorlacks to make the blond girl hesitate in her anger and confusion. Draco was laughing as Ron struggled to get a spell out between shielding himself from Draco's silent spells. And though Neville was putting up a valiant fight, Blaise was inevitably getting the better of him, pining him to the floor with a pack of angry birds, having learnt Avis Oppugno from Hermione the ay before.

Hermione's eyes flashed as Ginny managed to strike her with a lucky defodio, creating a deep gouge in her upper arm. Ginny's smug face rose up before in the haze, and she found herself slipping into a state of such intense hatred, that she instinctively knew whatever she did now, would end this. Summoning all her power she pulled her arm back, before flinging it forward to cast a Duro. Ginny smiled when nothing seemed to happen, but her face twisted as her feet failed to move beneath her. Hermione stood still and watched as Ginny panicked, now understanding what was happening to her. Her feet had turned to stone, and the rest of her was following. The grey was swallowing her flesh and clothes and she shrieked. The battle around them wound to halt, Neville bleeding from numerous cuts from birds beaks, Luna howling from the pain in her eyes, Pansy having used the conjunctivitis curse, and Ron was rolling on the ground, trying to put out the fire that was burning his uniform.

Draco took stock of his surroundings, checking his friends were unharmed. Blaise was sporting a cut lip, and Pansy was looking beautifully defiant with her robes hanging off one shoulder, a scorch mark on the exposed skin. But when he saw Hermione, he knew he had to act fast. The smoke was clearing, and her look of glee as Ginny's arms turned to stone as she watched would giver her away. He leapt over the still form of Neville and shook her shoulder roughly.

"Hermione, snap out of it."

Ginny was whimpering as she tried to tilt her chin away from the advancing stone, that was creeping up her neck. Hermione tore her gaze away for a moment, just to say "Get the others, when this is done we'll cast the exchange spell together. Just let me have this moment."

Draco backed off and grabbed Blaise and Pansy, whispering quickly what they were about to do. They stupefied their victims wands and put them on the ground. Draco created some more smoke to stop people from getting to them, making it too thick and putrid to smell. Then the three of them stopped to watch Hermione.

Hermione had locked eyes with Ginny as the stone took her completely, her red hair turning to a cold grey mass. "I win Ginny." The eyes were the last to go, and Hermione watched until the life blinked out, and they saw no more. A heartbeat. Then she turned away to her friends, who were watching her with awe, and a little fear. She smiled to reassure them.'

"Her soul is still there. It'll take them a while to figure it out, but she can be bought back. Ready?"

The others nodded. Blaise placed the D.A wands on the ground, the tips meeting in the middle, flaring outwards. They then crouched down, pointing their wands where they others met, and whispered the incantation taught to them by Lucius Malfoy, master of getting out of tricky situations.

"Periculum incantato Draco Malfoy amotio abeo Ronald Weasley muto." Said Draco clearly.

"Periculum incantato Blaise Zambini amotio abeo Neville Longbottom muto."

"Periculum incantato Pansy Parkinson amotio abeo Luna Lovegood muto."

"Periculum incantato Hermione Granger amotio abeo Ginevra Weasley muto."

The four friends concentrated as coils of black from their wands coursed down the wood, sinking into the D.A's wands underneath. When the black was gone, they hurriedly stood, and replaced the wands on the bodies of the fallen.

"Shame we couldn't just do a simple deletrius." Whispered Blaise to Draco.

The complex spell, removing the traces of dark magic from their wands and transferring them to the D.A's wands took a lot of concentration, power and energy. All four were feeling incredibly drained.

"The deletrius is easier, but then how'd we explain the results of the spells and those four idiots? It's better we claim to have made their own spells rebound on them."

Hermione shouted out the spell to dispel the smoke, making sure the teachers could hear it was her. Professor Dumbledore, McGonagall and Severus waded through the crowd to get to them, the other teachers trying to restore order and get the crowd to leave the area. When McGonagall saw Ginny she gasped and ran over to her. Severus flicked his wand and woke Neville Ron and Luna, reversing the spells on them.

"What on earth has been going on here?" Said Dumbledore angrily. "Granger, Malfoy, explain."

"They attacked us headmaster." Said Draco.

"You really expect us to believe that? They're the ones lying prone from hexes."

"It's true." Said Blaise. "Neville was the first one to fire a hex."

"A likely story." Spat McGonagall.

"If you don't believe us, look into out minds." Said Pansy. "We were all arguing, fair enough. Since when have we not? But Neville shot the first arrow as it were."

"Miss Granger, come here."

Hermione, who hadn't yet spoken, walked forward and looked into Dumbledore's eyes. She allowed him access to her memories, and he saw that although the Slytherins had started it, Ron was the first to swear, and Neville was indeed the first to fire. Pulling back he scowled.

"Slytherins, go to my office immediately, I want to check your wands. You are in serious trouble."

"Check them now." Said Hermione.

"Excuse me?"

"We have nothing to hide. Lets not allow wild rumours to begin, check our wands now, in public."

Dumbledore frowned, but beckoned Severus over anyway. "Take the Gryffindors to the hospital wing."

Severus nodded, and caught Hermione's eye questioningly. She gave the slightest wink and he left, levitating Ginny behind him, Neville, Ron and Luna trailing behind pathetically.

Dumbledore wanted to check the wands himself, if that troublemaker Granger thought Severus would fake some results for her, she was gravely mistaken.

"Prior Incantato." He said, pointing at Hermione's wand. To his frustration, all that was revealed was she had cast many Protego's, and even several protego Horribilis. Angered, he did the same to the others wands, to the same result.

"The Gryffindors suffered from their own spells rebounding off us onto them. Our shield spells were so powerful. We're Slytherins headmaster, we're not stupid enough to jeopardise our futures by casting potentially fatal charms at classmates, even if it is after our last exam."

Unconvinced of their innocent, Dumbledore interviewed several witnesses, who all told the truth. i.e. that Neville fired first and after that a smoke cloud descended so they couldn't see what had happened. Eventually he was forced to check the Gryffindors wands. Shocked by what he found, he managed to cover up the 'culprits' guilt, but was unable to punish the Slytherins. Much to their glee.

" A fairly perfect end of term." Said Hermione that evening in the Slytherin common room, before they all burst out laughing.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

notes

periculum incantato (person 1) amotio abeo (person 2) muto.

danger spell (from person 1) removal, to pass (to person 2) exchange.

other spells mentioned i got from the harry potter spells list on wikipedia

it's a bit rough using an internet latin dictionary


	23. The Battle Begins

Hermione stretched her legs as she woke, arching her back in a cat-like position

Hermione stretched her legs as she woke, arching her back in a cat-like manner. Feeling better, she snuggled back into Severus' body unwilling to leave their bed quite yet. It was the morning of her last day at Hogwarts, and therefore, the final battle. But she had decided not to think about that quite yet, it wouldn't take place until the afternoon, and everything that could be done in advance had been. So when she turned into Severus' embrace as he woke up, it was with the knowledge that yes, she did have time for this.

"Morning." She murmured.

"I love you." Said Severus quietly, suddenly, for the first time.

Hermione kissed him lightly. "And I love you."

Severus lay silent in her arms for a moment, the two of them just listening to the early morning birdsong and the beating of their hearts. Hermione knew this to be a peaceful time she'd carry in her heart for along time to come, and should the worst happen, it would be the last moment of tranquillity the two of them would ever know.

Eventually with a sigh he lifted himself up and got out of bed. Hermione followed a moment later and the two of them got ready to face the day ahead.

xxxx

As the exams were over, technically the students of Hogwarts were free to roam the grounds and enjoy the summer sunshine after being cooped up so long. But a tense atmosphere had spread from the professors to the rest of the school, and most stayed in their house common rooms, nervously playing cards or trying to chat. Many Gryffindors were in the hospital bay, silently watching the teachers try to free Ginny from her stony prison. Hermione and Draco ordered the Slytherins to stay in the dungeons and be on the alert, and were obeyed without too many questions. They patrolled the corridors of Hogwarts in silence, ready to activate their tattoos at the slightest hint of incursion. But none came.

The farewell feast was a subdued affair. Dumbledore said very little in his speech, and the food was simple. Hermione guessed the house elves were too busy preparing for the final battle to cook a magnificent feast, as they prided themselves in cooking without magic. She wasn't far wrong, the hidden realm of the elves within Hogwarts kitchens was buzzing, as Dobby gave orders and Hapsad organised emergency procedure. The feast was in full swing, insofar as it could be swinging at all under the circumstances, when the piercing alarm indicating the wards of Hogwarts failing sounded out, echoing amongst the rafters.

Hermione jumped to her feet as uproar descended. She saw Severus disappear out of the corner of her eye, and felt her tattoo as the beacon went out to Shadow members. Draco levitated the tables and chairs so they were out of the way, and Hermione watched angrily as the teachers and DA members rushed off without a second thought to those they were leaving behind.

"Soronus. Right, everyone listen to me." Shouted Hermione, her magically enhanced voice battling with the alarm. "I want you to stay calm and follow my instructions to the letter if you want to get to safety. I want you to find a pair, oldest with youngest, middle years stick together. Get to your house common rooms as quickly as possible, and use the emergency floo powder to get to the Three Broomsticks. There will be adults there waiting for you to give you further instructions. UNDERSTAND?"

She watched as panicked children clutched at each other, and began to trickle out of the hall. She nodded at Blaise and Pansy as they rushed off to their stations, and wished she could follow them to battle.

"Move." Shouted Draco suddenly. "Run as if death eaters are cursing you, which they will be if you don't hurry up."

That got them moving, and a small stampede towards the doors caught Hermione and she was carried into the corridor outside. Managing to break free, she got onto the front steps and was happy to find herself with a view of the professors and DA members panicking as their magic failed them, one by one. Dumbledore was trying to keep order, but his usually calm exterior had given way to fear as he found himself without the power to do anything. Tearing herself away from the view, Hermione returned to her task of shepherding frightened stragglers to their common rooms.

**Blaise Zambini**

Blaise waited until Hermione had the situation under control before leaving the main hall, his tattoo willing him to act quickly and join the fight. With a swift goodbye to Draco he pounded out on the heels of the DA, but instead of clattering down the steps into the grounds, he took the main staircase, and the shortest route up the roof, a path he had run many times in the last week, trying to get there as swiftly as possible. As he burst onto the roof, he nodded at men and women he'd never met before, but who were wearing dark clothes as per Toms instructions, but not the uniform of the Death eaters. Blaise hurried to his equipment and flicked the switches, the hum of electricity as comforting to him as the warmth of a wand was to Hermione. On his screen, dozens of coloured dots came to life, and he studied them, his eyes darting, as he put on his headset and microphone. Death eaters were black, the order red, and shadows were green, but with tiny numbers next to each for ease of direction.

"Right." he said, eyeing the shadows around him. "As predicted, most death eaters are apparating in the forbidden forest, but the order members are coming in all over the place, the disorganised rabble. Probably apparating to a favourite spot from their schooldays they can visualise best for apparation. You five go to the woods and tackle death eaters as they appear. You three go to the lake and give Evan and his group their portkeys."

Even as they carried out his orders, more shadows appeared on the rooftops. Blaise beckoned them over to give them their orders, at the same time starting to relay information over the airways to anyone who needed Intel.

"Student body is on the move. 1, 3 and 5 get to the front entrance; make sure no one gets in or out.

On his screen dots fought dots, but some stood out. Hermione was purple, Draco blue, and Pansy pink.

"New arrivals on the quidditch pitch, order affiliates. 7-13 get out there. 16 and 28, get to the whomping willow, we've got a couple of death eaters sneaking in from the shack. 2 and 15, get moving, what are you doing, chatting?"

The dots began blinking out. It had been ten minutes.

**Pansy Parkinson**

Pansy ran from the great hall without a second glance, wanting to get out ahead of the masses so she could get to the infirmary as quickly as possible. She had to subdue Madame Pomfrey before she could be of any use, and that would take precious moments from her preparations. As she rounded the corner leading to the hospital wing, she spotted Narcissa Malfoy lurking in a shadow near the wards door. She was wearing the dark greys of a shadow, and was listening intently on her headset.

"The battles begun, there's order affiliates and death eaters apparating all over." Pansy nodded to her, and swung open the doors. Madam Pomfrey was in there with a second year, trying to get him to stay in bed.

"Enough, let him go Pomfrey, he needs to get to his common room." Pansy threw some floo powder on the room's fireplace, and shoved the boy in as Narcissa held Pomfrey back with her wand pointing at her. "Go to your room and do what the rest of your house is." She told him.

The boy nodded, "H-Hufflepuff common room." He stuttered.

"Now." Said Narcissa. "We're in charge of this infirmary now Pomfrey, but we could use your help if you'll give it."

Pomfrey said nothing, torn between helping those she knew would soon need it, and having to work with the wife of a man she thought was a death eater. "I can't." She said eventually. Your death eaters both."

Pansy rolled her eyes as she shrugged on a white apron over her robes and tied her hair up out of the way. "Typical. We'll have to have her under the imperius curse Cissy, we really could use an extra pair of hands."

Narcissa spoke the spell, and Pomfrey went slack, awaiting orders. They left her as she was while they raided the store cupboard, getting what they needed closer to hand. Suddenly, Colin Creevey popped into the room clutching his battered younger brother Dennis at his side. "He fell down some stairs." He offered as explanation. "In the rush to the Gryffindor tower. I think his arms broken. Who's she?" He asked, indicating Narcissa.

"Emergency help." Said Madame Pomfrey. "Let me take a look at this arm, you go Colin."

"Okay, I need to get some pictures of this battles anyway, for posterities sake." Colin apparated away and Pansy sighed as Pomfrey put Dennis' arm in a splint.

**Lucius Malfoy**

Lucius had just drained his glass after Evan Rosier had raised a toast to Tom Riddle when he felt his tattoos compel him to act. He saw he wasn't the only one as his wife and Evan also reacted. Standing, he led the way out of the dining room, where apparation was impossible, to deter unwelcome dinner guests.

"See you later alligator." Said Evan, and with a grin and wink, he was gone.

Lucius kissed Narcissa, and she smiled up at him. "I don't want to see you in my infirmary Lucius." She chided softly.

"You won't. I'll see you later, when all this is over." Narcissa smiled, and disappeared with a pop to Hogwarts infirmary.

With his wife gone, Lucius allowed himself a grimace; his Death eater brand was burning, demanding his immediate obedience. But he would not, not this time. Lucius took a moment to ignore his tattoo, and take few deep breaths. Once on the battlefield, he would have to find Aberforth, who would be in the midst of his most loyal death eaters for safety, and get close enough to him to grab a hold and activate the portkey. He would have to go in as a death eater, he'd have to go in full uniform, which would make him a target for those who didn't know his allegiance, so he'd have to go by stealth. He patted his pocket, to verify for the hundredth time that the quill was still there. Satisfied, he took one last look around his house before putting on his headset and focusing on the rooftops of Hogwarts.

The roof was a hive of activity. Shadows were still arriving, awaiting instruction from Blaise who was crouched in a corner, protected by a couple of Gringotts Goblins who had been sent ahead by Percy. Lucius pushed everyone aside and crouched down next to Blaise.

"I need the position of the most tightly knit group of death eaters in the forest." He said.

Blaise didn't pause.

"16 get out of there, you're being out manoeuvred. 5 get down to the herbology greenhouses to help him. Lucius you need to go here." His finger jabbed at a place on the map, where there was a cluster of black dots. "It's directly down a path that comes out behind hagrids hut. 11 and 23, if you separate and perform a pincer move you can take out the death eaters who are lurking by the sheds."

Lucius left him to it, and hurried to the hut Hagrid lived in. There was a great deal of barking going on inside the house, which Lucius ignored. The ground keepers cowardly pets noise suited him more than it hindered, as it was loud enough to help mask his approach. An approach made without magic. Magic would be detected by any wards set up. Creeping closer, Lucius left the sounds of the battle behind as the undergrowth thickened, muffling the shouts and screams. When he was close enough to hear death eaters voices, he dropped to the floor.

"Blaise." He whispered. "Please verify there are only death eaters around my position."

A crackle of static, then "Verified. You're position is to the left of a group of about a dozen death eaters surrounding one solo dot, probably your mark. Over."

"Thank you, will proceed to take out Aberforth, I'm going into death eater uniform."

"Roger that. Over and out."

Lucius straightened and succumbed to Aberforth's call. He entered the area lit by torches, revealing himself as if he'd just arrived.

"Master." He bowed low. "Forgive me my tardiness, I was accosted in my home and had to deal with that before rushing to your side."

Aberforth, dressed and transfigured to look like Tom waved his hand magnanimously.

"You are forgiven Lucius, as my mood on this day, the final day, could not be better. Come hither."

Lucius rose and went towards his mark, eyes cast down in pretend deference. "My Lord, may I offer my congratulation, as I understand it, Hogwarts was taken by surprise?"

"Indeed it would seem that way, reports are confused. At present the main order members do not seem to have leapt into the fray. It puzzles me."

Lucius hid a smile, Aberforth was no doubt wondering what had happened to his brother. Suddenly, a large explosion ruptured the air from the direction of the castle, there were cries of alarm amongst the death eater guard, and seizing the moment of distraction, Lucius grabbed a hold of the portkey, and clasped Aberforth's arm. They disappeared with a pop, and emerged in Grambleton wood. Lucius acted fast, binding Aberforth and removing his spells of disguise. Aberforth could only look on helpless as Lucius slung him over his shoulder and took him to the cottage, where Hapsad and a few other elves would be waiting.

"It's lucky for me, _my lord_," spat Lucius "that you are not as powerful and accomplished a wizard as the man you impersonate."

**Hermione Granger**

"Right." Said Draco, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "Now that's sorted, I'm going to check on Pansy then get my orders from Blaise." He fished his headset out of his robes and put it on his head.

"Not yet." Said Hermione, putting hers on as well. "We have to check the castle for stragglers and anyone stupid enough to think they can help either side. I'll take Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors if you'll do Slytherin and Ravenclaw."

Draco sighed. "Sure. But the sooner this part is over with the better."

Hermione smiled and nodded in agreement, then left to walk he route to the Hufflepuff common room. There were a few stragglers as predicted, one fifth year who got separated from the third year they were meant to be looking after and was wasting time looking in various classrooms for them. The common room itself was mostly empty, and once the last few were chivvied along all was clear. Hermione apparated back to the main hall, and retraced the familiar steps to the Gryffindor common room from there. The journey seemed to take longer than she was used to, perhaps because the exact route was no longer one she trod several times a day. Then there she was, approaching the fat lady.

"Yes?" Said the pink painting imperiously.

"Let me through please, I'm here to check all Gryffindor students have been evacuated successfully."

"As if you care. Password."

Hermione paused for a fraction of a second. "Potters people." She said.

"Hmph." Said the fat lady as she swung aside. "You used to be."

Hermione stepped through the portrait hole and entered the Gryffindor common room for the first time in ages. It was mostly as she had left it, comfortable and filled with worn and eclectic furniture. The fire was burning merrily in the grate, giving the whole room a warm and reassuring atmosphere. But there were posters of Potter all over the walls, handwritten tips and tricks for defensive fighting and here and there, pictures of herself, Severus and Draco taken from daily prophet articles and the ball with nasty slogans and immature scribblings. In one she had been given the dark mark on her forehead.

"What the hell are you doing in here?"

Hermione ceased her perusal of the walls and turned to an angered Neville Longbottom, who was at the centre of a small group of Gryffindors. Hermione checked them off on her mental ticklist. There was Ron and Neville of course, Luna was sat daintily on the sofa, Dean Thomas was there, and Colin. There were a few others as well, but they were already looking sheepish and heading for the floo powder.

"I'm here to ensure all students have safely evacuated." Replied Hermione sweetly. "I see you were brave enough to stay here and make sure all the little Gryffindors got through. Commendable. Now it's time for you to follow them."

"And leave you to join the battle against the Order?" Said Neville. "Not likely, we're here to fight against Voldemort, for Ginny, for Dumbledore, and for Harry Potter."

There was a general muttering of 'yeahs' and 'too rights'.

Hermione smiled. "Ron, would you please try lighting your wand?"

Ron looked puzzled. "Lumos."

When nothing happened, everyone in the room gaped at her. "It wasn't me." Said Hermione untruthfully. "Many order members, if not all, have succumbed to some kind of affliction that has taken their magic from them. Even Dumbledore is as helpless as a muggle." She watched as everyone's faces fell, and the few undecided fighters walked into the floo flames and disappeared. "Harry is unaffected," she continued, "so with any luck he'll kill Voldemort and we'll have tea and buns together this evening. However, it does mean that there are no adults around to protect you lot from the death eaters. You are my responsibility, and I don't want to have to explain to your parents tomorrow why you're all dead. So if you'll go through the floo, it would be much appreciated."

"If everyone is incapacitated, all the more reason for us to help." Said Neville. "If I die, so be it. I want to go out fighting, like Sirius, like the Potters, like my parents."

Hermione felt for him, in a way. He wanted Voldemort dead, and so did she. Neville had a revenge complex same as she did, but Neville, despite his bravery, was not shadow trained. And he did not know the full details of who was fighting the battle. He would die, and she was in charge of seeing he didn't. And he was a hotheaded moron.

"Sorry Neville. But you've only just recovered from the beating that Blaise gave you. You'd be a liability." With her wandless magic Hermione tipped the rest of the floo powder into the fire. Whilst they were all distracted, she took out her wand and petrified them all. "You see?" She said. "You're all far too easily beaten."

She levitated them all into the fire, so they were stacked on top of each other like firewood. When she was done, she sent them packing and reviewed what to do next. It had only been a half hour since the battle had begun.

**Evan Rosier**

Evan had been sat in front of the window of Grambleton cottage when the call went out, watching the bees buzz amongst the garden. He'd just raised a toast to Tom Riddle to pass the time when it happened. Lucius rose first but Evan was the first to leave.

"See you later alligator!" He said with a wink and a grin, and apparated.

He had been tense, but when his tattoo has activated, he'd sprung into action. He'd apparated to a secluded spot near the Hogwarts Lake, where he snapped on his headset. There he'd waited until Florian and the elves allied to the shadows had turned up. A few shadows had come over from Blaise with the portkeys he needed and he asked them to stay.

"Right." He started, as everyone tuned in. "You know what to do. We have to get to the witches and wizards on the orders side, especially those whose magic is still working. The ones who have been affected by Hermione's potion are not the priority. If they die, life will be easier in the long run. They'll be in the way and we don't need that. Right, we're dressed dark, so when questioned after the battle they'll claim to have been attacked by death eaters, with any luck. Go in, identify them, petrify them, and tag them with one of your portkeys. They'll go to sickbay, then on to where we'll hold them. Leave the death eaters alone, I know you're all tempted, but Sev's taskforce is dealing with them and I don't want to get in his way. Understood?"

There was a chorus of voices in the affirmative.

"One last thing. When Percy and the second wave arrive, feel free to duck out if you're knackered or have seen too much. No one will question it, it's the reason we've got a second wave in the first place. We'll be notified by Blaise when we're free to go and get patched up or whatever. No ducking out until then, you're needed."

"Evan, when're your group going to get busy? It's starting to hot up over."

"Roger that. We're heading out now, over and out. Right, lets go."

Evan pulled out his wand and he and Florian set out together, the elves also spreading out in small groups or pairs. They headed to where, from Blaise's commentary, it seemed most of the fighting was taking place. They weaved around death eaters fighting with Sev's task force, and took out the members of the public who were on Dumbledore's side and had turned up to help out, however unqualified they were for combat. There were a few ministry aurors as well, but the elves were dealing with them efficiently so he and Florian left them alone.

**Severus Snape**

Severus had felt his dark mark flair up first, with the burning that was supposed to make him obey. He then felt his shadow mark, non-painful but equally insistent. While the other teachers were distracted by the sudden alarms and the welfare of the student body, he slipped away to one side, and apparated away once he was out of view. He had no qualms about leaving Hermione, sure as he was in her ability to look after herself. He arrived at the meeting point designated prior to the battle. It was inside the forbidden forest, but off the beaten track as it were. Aberforth and the death eaters wouldn't stray far from the edge of the forest, or from the paths flattened out by Hagrid over the years. He was meeting his task force deep within the forest itself, where, once assembled, Dobby would instantaneously apparate them all into the midst of the final battle.

His troops began to arrive.

Goblins, trolls, the hardier house elves, the odd giant, centaurs, vampires, werewolves and even a couple of Aragogs descendants. Even the sphinx had turned up, and she was famously contrary. These amongst others were the races Evan Rosier had reached out to, the races Hermione and Dobby wanted to help with S.A.D. They had reacted well to the shadows non-patronising, fair approach, and had turned out in force today to help shape a future they would be allowed to have a hand in shaping. Few of them wanted to wear the headsets provided, so Severus didn't push it. But the elves and a few centaurs and vampires were up for it, for the novelty.

"Right." said Severus, when everyone was assembled. "We've been given the enviable task of actually doing some killing in this battle. We've got shadows taking out order members to get them out of our way; they're dressed in dark clothes like me, but not in the death eater uniform. Those in uniform are our targets. We have free reign with them, enjoy yourselves. The only thing we ask is for you to not maim any of the Order, if you accidentally on purpose go after any of them, its safer to kill them, and we can blame the death on your counterparts working for Aberforth, who you may also get rid of as you wish. Any questions?"

There were none. Severus checked in with Blaise to make sure there were enough targets on the move for him, and having confirmation of that, nodded to Dobby. The next thing he knew he was in the heart of the final battle.

**Draco Malfoy**

None of the Ravenclaws had been stupid enough to hang around, but there were a few Slytherins muttering darkly in the common room when he'd arrived there. A few choice words and a threat to their future family making capabilities on his word as a Malfoy, and they cleared off. Not sure what to do next, but impatient to do it Draco apparated back to the main hall, where Hermione was already stood.

"Glad your here." He said. "I've seen everyone else off, so I think we're good to get involved now. Thought I'd check back here in case you'd thought of anything else we needed to do."

Hermione shook her head. "No I think that's everything that Tom charged us with, the students are safe and off of Hogwarts grounds, and therefore no longer our responsibility."

Draco blew out a breath in relief. "Great. Well I'm going to check in on Pansy quickly, then ask Blaise for further orders. This headset idea is great."

Hermione smiled at him. "Yeah, shame we can only talk to him though, and not to each other."

Draco guessed she was thinking of Severus, who was in charge of the most dangerous task in the battle. At least Pansy was superficially out of harms way in the hospital wing.

"He'll be fine Herms, he can take care of himself. See you soon."

He watched as she apparated away, presumably to the roof, them apparated himself to Madame Pomfrey's office. Walking out into sickbay was an education. Ginny's statue had been propped up out of the way in a corner, and her bed was filled by a man who's eyes looked like they'd been burned out of his face, all he could see was a mass of swollen blackened skin. His mouth agape, he turned his attention to the next bed, where a man was rocking back and forth, clutching an arm to his chest. It took a moment for Draco to realise it was the mans own arm, severed from his body. There were other patients, but Draco had had enough, he looked down at the floor and yelled for Pansy. She came running over immediately.

"Oh Merlin! Draco are you alright?" She was manhandling him onto a chair checking him over as she went.

"Pan stop, I'm fine. I just came to see how you were doing."

Pansy hit him over the head. "I'm busy Draco, saving lives. I thought you were hurt then. Go and help Evan or something and get out of my infirmary until you need it." With that, she gave him a swift kiss on the lips before hurrying back to her work. Suitably chastened, Draco moved back into the office where he could hear himself think and contacted Blaise for orders.

**Hapsad**

Lucius had been and gone. Aberforth was out of it, drugged up to his eyeballs to keep him quiet and with a guard of elves to keep him safe. He would eventually be a key witness under Veritaserum, and they couldn't risk losing him to anyone, even a trigger-happy shadow. Which was why elves were involved. Aberforth had a room to himself, but there were others were pouring in to Grambleton cottage against their will.

Hapsad and her small team of elves were busy taking the unconscious petrified witches and wizards than Rosier and his team were tagging with Portkeys and putting them on prepared shelves in the labyrinthine cellars under Grambleton. There they would be kept, safe and out of the way, until the battle was over. When the coast was clear, Tom was dead and Harry 'victorious' they would be woken, given false memories of being injured on the battlefield and nursed back to health by Hapsad and others. In this way, they could keep their magical powers without being a threat to the future. They were in all senses, innocents. Having turned up at the battlefield out of their own sense of honour and decency, with nothing to do with Dumbledore or his machinations. And it was in part, truthful. The Hogwarts sickbay was for shadow use, so they could get the quickest care and be back on their feet or back home swiftly. Everyone else, Hapsad was dealing with. And it wasn't pretty. Some were beyond even her Elvin magic.

**Percy Weasley**

Percy was arguably in his element. Not that he'd admit it, but war had brought out of the best of his abilities. His innate organisational skills that he had developed as head boy had been honed from his Shadow responsibilities. His job, if not the most difficult, was the most complex. He had an hour from when his tattoo had called to contact and have congregate all those who were on the shadows side. They were witches and wizards who had been told all they needed to know, not being part of he Shadows secretive inner circle. They didn't know who the actual shadows were except for Percy, and had no idea who the leader was, information that would have had many of them in two minds as to their allegiances. As it was, Percy had about a hundred men and women who had been secretly training themselves for battle.

When his tattoo activated, Percy had first contacted Fred and George. He'd side-along apparated them to Grambleton woods, which had been set up with anti-muggle spells for the day. He'd then given them a list of names, and portkeys. They used the portkeys to get to the other sympathisers, where they would turn back into useless knick-knacks. They would then bring their people back to Grambleton where they would be briefed by Percy, and kitted out ready to fight.

**Hermione Granger**

Hermione apparated away from Draco and arrived on the rooftop where Blaise was hunched over his computer screen. It was no longer crowded up there, as Blaise had given everyone something to do, and somewhere to do it. Hermione hunkered down next to him. His voice sounded a bit hoarse, so she apparated to the infirmary and grabbed a throat soothing potion and back. She conjured up a glass of water and handed them both to him. He took it gladly, first the potion, which made him grimace then the water.

"Thanks Herms. 66 and 67 behind you! 44 and 51 duck behind a tree, you've got death eaters you can surprise walking in your direction."

Hermione gestured to herself and to the screen. Not wanting to talk to him and break his concentration.

"Hermione, just get down there. Take some portkeys to help out Evans group, and kill any death eaters you see to help out Snape."

She nodded, grabbed a few pebbles from a pile of them and apparated down into the battlefield. Her first step made her slip, the grass was slick with spilled blood, not all of it red. Taking her bearings, she was about to head off after a woman she recognised as being an order sympathiser, one of Madame Malkin the outfitters shop assistants, when Blaise yelled in her ear.

"Hermione, death eater bearing down on you, 5 o clock." Hermione span round to deal with her attacker. For her at last, the battle was begun.


	24. The Final Battle

**The Weasley Twins**

"When we arrive on the battlefield, it will be in the thick of it. There will be people dying. This battle has been raging for at least an hour, that's a lot of blood. And it's a lot of tired people. We are the second wave; we are there to take over. Its probable most of those who were there before us will stay, but we may be all there is."

The witches and wizards around Percy were solemn, and hanging on his every word.

"If that is the case, we are all that stands between order and death eater anarchy. We go in, and we mop up. Use the pebbles in your pocket to get rid of any members of the public or order members, though they should be all already gone. Kill death eaters, show them no mercy"

The sun was beginning to set behind the trees of Grambleton forest, but was light there was, was streaming down on the faces of those assembled, but especially on Percy, who was stood above them on a boulder. Even Fred and George were silent, in a moment of rare admiration for their brother, who they'd underestimated. Percy pushed his horn-rimmed glasses further up his nose.

"Ladies and Gentlemen." He said. "To war." And apparated.

As everyone around them followed their leader, Fred turned to George.

"Our Perce eh. Who'd have thought it."

George shook his head. "Not me for one. Now lets try and find the others. I want to portkey out mum, dad, Charlie and Bill at least."

"Not icckle ronnikins?" Said Fred quietly.

"You know not Ron." Said George sadly. "He and Ginny are beyond our help."

And they too, went to war.

**Hermione Granger**

Had Hermione gone in for that sort of thing, she could have cut many notches in her wand, even at this point in the battle. Darkness was beginning to fall, so she estimated the time at about half eight. They'd been lucky; a summer final battle had given them more hours of daylight to fight in. But now that clarity was coming to an end, and the battle would become more confused. She had fought her way from one side of the mass of blood lust, anger, revenge and fear, and had come out the other side. The battle had passed through this area though, and she swept her gaze across the floor, tagging those on the side of the order, dead or alive or somewhere horribly in-between.

"Hermione, number 5 and a powerful death eater are fighting in your direction, at 6 o clock. Give 5 a hand; this one has killed a number of us. Over."

Hermione swung round to look behind her. Sure enough, Ragnok was battling a powerful death eater. Bellatrix Lestrange. "I have them in my sights Blaise. Going to assist. Over and out."

Hermione sank to the ground before she was spotted, crawling under a bloodied corpse, and lay very still. Ragnok was holding his own, but was visibly out of his league and tiring fast. Resisting the natural urge to jump out and help, Hermione waited until Bellatrix had her back to her, then emerged from her stinking hiding place, covered in blood and splattered with gore.

"BITCH." She yelled at the top her lungs. No way was she going to kill this woman without her knowing who her executioner was. Bellatrix turned, her wild hair matched only by the insane glint in eyes, and the terrible spread of her smile.

"Sevvies whore!" Shrieked Bellatrix in delight.

Hermione twirled her wand. "That's right."

No more words, as the two witches spells flew at one another. Though insane, and without wordless magic, Bellatrix was a worthy opponent. But Hermione was better. With a swift barrage of spells she overcame the elder witch, forcing her to her knees. Hermione struck a frightening image before the stricken death eater. She stood, her hair flying around her in the wind, the castle on fire behind her bathing her in a hellish light in the darkness, the glints of colour from spells like fireworks going off behind her. The fire was in her eyes as well, and Bellatrix, for the first time in a long while, with the last remnants of sanity, was afraid. Hermione's face was closed, and cruel, enjoying the fear on Bellatrix's face. She spoke her final spell slowly, and with relish, so the woman on her knees before her would understand.

"Avada Kedavra."

Bellatrix fell face first into the mud. And Hermione smiled, and turned back to the battle.

"Hermione, you're needed to help in the infirmary over."

Hermione snarled, but controlled her rush and answered. "Understood Blaise, I'm on my way. Over and out." She swept her hair up into a bun for hygiene's sake, full as it was of dirt, and apparated into the infirmary.

**Harry Potter**

Harry was scared, and that made him angry. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Once upon a time it was meant to be him, Ron and Hermione, the golden trio, against Voldemort. A pureblood, a half-blood and a muggleborn. It had a perfect symmetry. But now even the changes that made Neville a stand in for Hermione were in tatters. Somehow he, Harry Potter, was hiding in the Gryffindor Quidditch changing room with a panicked order around him, all of them unable to perform any magic except for him.

They had all rushed out, wands blazing, the moment the alarms had sounded. Harry had been waiting in Dumbledore's office with the other order members who weren't members of staff and had joined them outside the main steps down into the grounds. It wasn't until one of them started to try and silence the alarm that they realised something was wrong. They'd all tried the easiest, most familiar spells they knew. They tried swapping wands. Tried spelling each other. Nothing had worked, and then the first death eaters had marched out of the woods. Some fell before Dumbledore had the peace of mind to yell at Harry to disillusion them all. This done, they had fled. A few fell behind, not fit enough to keep up, and they passed out of the cloak, were spotted and killed.

Now they were holed up in relative safety, listening to the sounds of battle rage outside.

"It must be the Sine Nomine." Said Moody.

"Impossible." Said Dumbledore. "It's passed the 2 minutes and 15 seconds Miss Granger extended its power to."

"Then she must have lied to us." Said Harry. "It's not the first time. I bet she did this."

"But how?" Asked Lupin. "If it was done in the food of the feast, not all of us would be affected, and Harry would be."

"What are we going to do?" Moaned Molly fearfully.

Everyone looked to Dumbledore, who was pale beneath his beard, and his eyes were not twinkling. "I, I don't know."

"Well we're not waiting around here to be slaughtered like Muggles." Said Arthur Weasley. "I'm getting my wife and sons out of here now."

"You're not leaving me!" Said Harry.

Molly choked, and ran from the room, Arthur with her sons Bill and Charlie in tow. A few others followed.

"Now what professor." Said Harry. "I can't go out there on my own, who's going to distract Voldemort so I fly this potion in his face? You said-"

"Be quiet boy." Snapped Dumbledore. Harry quietened in shock. Dumbledore hadn't raised his voice to him before. He was the golden boy, the chosen one.

**Albus Dumbledore**

Albus was trying to think. His plans were in ruins. He couldn't even send a patronus to Aberforth to let him know that Tom had arrived and he was clear to leave. He was as vulnerable as a child, and as helpless. How had Granger done this, how? Did this mean she was in league with Voldemort, no Ssh don't be daft, I'd know. With Tom then, but how? How had she done this, how had she drugged them.

The questions teaming in his head, alongside the frenzied questions of his once confident Order, and his own insecurities and fears won. Dumbledore looked at Harry, and apologised.

"Harry my boy, perhaps this was how it was always meant to be. You alone against the dark lord. Good luck, good luck to us all."

With that, he followed in the Weasleys wake, and headed away from the battle.owHHHuqgfjbsw

**Harry Potter**

Harry's mouth fell open as Dumbledore left, with more of the fearful Order following their once great leader. Few remained to help him. There was Lupin and Tonks and Moody.

"Right." Said Harry. "Right..."

**Hermione Granger**

Hermione was working flat out in the infirmary with Pansy and Narcissa, and to an extent, the blank Madame Pomfrey, who was mostly fetching and carrying. She didn't have to like it, but it was clear to her that not everyone could have done was she was in here doing, so it made up for missing out on doing the actual fighting. And here, she could be sure that Severus was either unharmed or dead, no horrific in-between. Which was some strange comfort, but a comfort nonetheless.

She was just re-drawing the fire-proof wards around the wing of the castle the infirmary was in, when Severus burst into the room, bringing the noise of the battle in with him through the heavy doors. Covered in dirt blood and ashes, he was levitating in front of him a body, and Hermione laughed out loud when she saw who it was. An unconscious singed Albus Dumbledore.

"He tried to run." Said Severus, panting as he set the wizard down. "He lost the members of the order who were still following him, McGonagall and a few others who couldn't stand to be apart from him, even when he was as powerless as they, and was trying to get to where he knew Aberforth was in the forest. A blast-ended what-do-you-call-it was moving in when I got to him. You know, one of Hagrid's monstrosities."

"I know what you mean. Why'd you bring him here instead of just tagging him?"

"I haven't got any portkeys left." Said Severus. "Will you send him on to Hapsad for me?"

"Sure." Hermione fished out a pebble from her pocket and popped into the old wizards pocket. He disappeared with a pop.

"Also, I wanted to check in with you." Said Severus, and swooped in to kiss her.

"Oi, no tongues in my infirmary! People are sick enough as it is!" Yelled Pansy from across the room.

They broke apart with a grin.

Severus tucked a curl of hair that has escaped her rough bun back in. "Look after yourself Hermione, I plan to make an honest woman of you if we both get through this alive."

Hermione's mouth fell open in shock and Severus smirked at her reaction, before darting back out of the room and back into the battle. Pansy bustled over and waved a hand in front of Hermione's face. "Ready to get back to work? What's got into you anyway?"

Hermione smiled. "I think I've just been proposed to."

Pansy's eyes grew wide and she slapped a hand across her mouth. "NO WAY! Oh Merlin that's amazing!"

The two girls hugged, but Pansy shook her head to clear her mind and went businesslike again. "We'll celebrate later, I've got an ear to sew back on." And she hurried off. They got back to work, immersing themselves in saving lives, tuning out the explosions and screams coming in from around them. It wasn't until there was a renewed sound of defiant shouts from nearby that she and Narcissa looked up and ran to a window. Pansy was too engrossed in some internal surgery to even notice. Outside, the second waves had arrived in a ring around the battlefield, and were closing in, shrinking the ring, mowing down death eaters as they went. Which meant that somewhere Tom Riddle had also arrived dressed as Voldemort, and was making his way into the open.

"Cissy I have to go." Said Hermione. "You'll manage here without me." And apparated down onto the battlefield before Narcissa could argue otherwise.

Hermione fell into position between Dobby and Percy, and advanced with the others. No one escaped their net. They were either killed or portkeyed out of the way. When the circumference of the circle got too small for everyone to fit in, every other person dropped behind, and 2 rows were formed. Then three. They were closing in. Suddenly Blaise's voice spoke up in her ear.

"Calling all Shadows. Tom Riddle has arrived and is in position in the centre of the ring. Repeat, Riddle has arrived and is in position. Second wave numbers 11 through 35, Harry is emerging from the quidditch pitch behind you. Disillusion yourselves so he can get through into the ring without thinking he has to fight you all."

Hermione watched a whole section of the net blinked out, and through it ran Harry and his small vanguard of desperado's.

**Severus Snape**

Severus was just finishing off a death eater werewolf when the second wave arrived. A few of his team around him then disappeared or apparated away, but that was fine. They were meant to, no good to anyone if they weren't up to it anymore. He joined the circle, and began the march, surprising those on either side of him. He was pleased to see that none of these shadow affiliates shrank from killing. They had been well prepared by Percy. He watched with interest as someone barged their way into the inner row a little way along from him, and smiled when he saw it was his Hermione, intent on being in on the action. He dropped back and went sideways so he'd be near her. When the Potter brat got to the centre of the circle, opposite Tom, the circle stopped. And watched. And waited. As far as the shadow affiliates were concerned, this duel was not a foregone conclusion, as they didn't know that Tom was not Voldemort.

"VOLDEMORT." Shouted Harry. "Your plan didn't work. I still have my magic! And I am here now to fulfil the prophecy, and kill you."

Tom sneered; his snake-like face a mask of hatred. Severus wondered if it was put on, Tom had plenty of reasons to hate this boy, this boy who had stood in the way of all his plans.

"You may still have your magic Potter, but all those meant to protect you have not. Why do they still stand behind you, these abomination?. They can do nothing for you." Tonks, Lupin and Moody shifted uneasily, aware of the truth in the words and their vulnerable position. "Even Dumbledore left didn't he? That old fool, so much for all his faith in you Potter. He lost the ability to save himself, and when I've killed you, he'll die like a defenceless muggle."

"You shut up about Dumbledore." Yelled Harry. "He's a better man than you will ever be. You made horcruxes. You've killed. Look in the mirror Riddle, you're a monster."

"Perhaps I am." Said Tom calmly. "But d not judge a book by its cover boy."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You may come understand, but then again, you won't live along enough." Tom raised his wand slowly, giving Harry plenty of time to react, and the duel began. Severus was impressed. Tom was making use of colourful, visually impressive spells to make it look as if he were really trying, but was leaving monstrously large gaps in his defence. It would only be a matter of time before Potter planted his lucky shot, immobilising Tom long enough to use the Sine Nomine and kill him.

**Hermione Granger**

Hermione was aware of Severus coming up behind her and putting his arms around her waist, but she was fixated on the verbal exchange going on like a play before her. When the sparks began to fly, the hairs on the back of her neck went up, and she shivered in anticipation. Her hand was twitching on her wand, ready the moment that Tom was dead, to exact her revenge on his killer. The ring of shadows moved back out of the way, but she stood steadfast, becoming a character in the scene.

**Harry Potter**

Harry kept the spells going, using all the ones he could think off. Voldemort was so powerful, his spells were missing, but only because he was the chosen one, and he had his mums love protecting him. Sooner or later he'd be hit. Harry's aim got more erratic, and his list of spells grew. Eventually, Harry noticed that because Voldemort was right handed, the left hand side of his body was moving less. So Harry aimed and shot.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

Tom's arms snapped to his sides, his legs sprang together, and with his whole body rigid, he fell to one side onto his back. Harry advanced, and sprayed the Sine Nomine at his face with a muggle water pistol. Tom spluttered, the Petrificus spell was already wearing off, as Harry was not that adept at spell casting under pressure. But when Tom reached for his wand, it wouldn't respond. Tom looked up at Harry, his face calm.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

There were gasps from the crowd as Voldemort sank to the ground, dead. Thos who were expecting an explosion, or at least a scream of agony were disappointed. Voldemort's body just crumbled away, and a grey mist rose from it, before blowing away in all direction, spiralling into the night. Buoyed by his victory, the order members who had come with him hoisted Harry onto their shoulders shouting in triumph, turning him round so he could wave at all of the crowd. But when they turned in Hermione's direction, Harry slipped off of Lupins shoulders and faced her. She was asking for it, standing out in front of the crowd, with that look on her face. He'd won, how dare she look at him like that, and now she was pointing her wand at him.

"What do you want bitch?" Said Harry. "I've beaten Voldemort, the greatest Dark Wizard of all time. I'm invincible, what do you possibly think you can do to me?"

He was enraged to see all she did was smile. It was a slow, thin smile that should have warned him to flee. But he didn't. He stepped closer, a few mere steps away from her.

"What, not got a comeback for me? Speechless that you and your death eater Slytherin chums are beaten? What do you want?"

Hermione spoke, but quietly, so only Harry could hear her. "I told you a while back Harry, what I wanted. At New Years, do you remember? All I want is revenge."

And she turned her back on him, walking away back into the crowd. Harry watched her go, his bubble of victory unhindered, but weakened slightly at her open threat. He shrugged and turned back to his adoring friends. To a hero's congratulations.

**Hermione Granger**

Hermione melted back into the crowds, when she was out of sight, away from the spectacle of Harry's success, she flicked her wand silently in his direction. Immediately Harry sank to his knees, as if all the strength had gone from them. Ron caught him and lowered him to the ground. Through a gap in the throng, Hermione watched as his eyes became unfocussed and confused before closing completely.

"What did you do to him?" Whispered Severus.

Hermione looked around her at the scattered carnage of the battlefield. "Nothing I'll later regret." She answered, sheathing her wand.

Suddenly both of them clutched at their shadow tattoos. There was pain there, not a burning pain like the dark mark, but an icy cold. Hermione cried out, but was unconscious before she hit the ground.


	25. The End

Hermione turned over, just aware that she was being woken up by light in her face, and not appreciating it. She ached all over though, so twisting a little in bed made her gasp out loud slightly in pain.

"Hermione?"

She couldn't ignore that voice, his voice. She opened her eyes, scraping the dried sleep from the corners so she could see. She was back in the infirmary, but the mass of bloodied patients was gone, and it was clean and light again. She was lying in one of the beds, in a set of hospital pyjamas. Severus was sat at her side, smiling.

"Wondered when you'd wake up, if ever." He said.

Hermione yawned. "You know me, I'll sleep in if given half a chance, and I was a little fatigued last thing I remember. What day is it."

"It's been just over 48 hours since Tom died." Said Severus. "You're the last of us to wake up, had me worried."

"What do you mean, the last of us? What happened? I remember my tattoo burning like ice."

"These tattoo, as it turns out, are not just beacons to help us congregate. They are also entrance portals for the dark forces that Tom was drawing on in our fight. With his death, those forces were released from his body."

"The swirling smoke?"

"Exactly. Those forces ripped through all of us inner circle shadows, looking for a suitable candidate to be our next leader. It over whelmed us all, too much for our senses to process, overloading them. That's why we all blacked out. Fred and George organised our recovery from the battlefield, and we've been waking up since then, one by one."

"So who is our next leader then?" Asked Hermione, hoping that although she was the last to wake up, it wasn't her.

"You'll never guess." he said with a teasing smile.

"Severus." She warned.

"It's Rosier, Evan Rosier."

Her eye grew wide. "You're kidding." But she couldn't help a wide smile herself. "Evans the next leader of the Shadows?"

"Different types of leader are needed for different times. Tom was perfect for our period of warfare and secretive plots and plans. Now we're coming out into the open, to an extent anyway, Evans charismatic ways are more useful."

Hermione rested back onto her pillows to think it over.

"What happened to the order in the end?"

"Well, they're either dead, adjusting to life as squibs or gone insane." He said. "It's surprising what the loss of magic will do to a person."

Hermione smiled grimly. "No less that they deserve. How's Dumbledore?"

"Well the last communiqué on him states that he is quite happy."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Oh yes, today he made a little dog out of his plasticine, I understand from Healer Parkinson that he's very proud of it."

Hermione grinned. "Insane then? What a shame. So who's the new head of Hogwarts?"

Severus smirked. "Me."

Hermione sat up and hugged him. "Brilliant! That's better than we could have hoped for!"

There was a disgusted cough from across the room, and Hermione relaxed her hold of Severus to peer round him to see who it was. In another bed down by the doors, next to Ginny's statue, was Harry Potter.

"What's he in for?" She asked innocently.

"Well it seems young Mr Potter lost the ability to use magic almost straight after his defeat of Voldemort." Said Severus in an overly sad voice. "No one knows what caused it, no Sine Nomine was administered by Voldemort as far as we can tell. It's an utter mystery. So you can tell me how you did it later."

Harry snarled and stalked out of the infirmary, still in his pyjamas.

They sat together for a little while longer, Severus telling her how many people had died, and who. Eventually they sat in silence, just enjoying the silence, the sunlight and the birdsong.

"Hermione." Said Severus, breaking the silence. "This may not be the best moment," He pulled a small black box out of his robes. "But will you marry me?"

He opened the box, to reveal a small silver ring, set with a piece of dark polished wood in the centre, with two emeralds on either side. "It's a wizarding world style engagement ring." He said quickly and nervously. "The wood in he middle is the same as my wand, and the stones are the colour of my house. When you're better you'll get one for me with your wand wood and stones. I can get your a gold band and a diamond like a muggle ring if you like, I..."

Hermione placed her finger over his lips to stop him talking, and took the box off him. She put the ring on her engagement finger where it changed to fit her exactly. "It love it Severus, as much as I love you. Of course I'll marry you."

And she kissed him, proof of her final allegiance shining on her hand.

**THE END**


End file.
